Empyreal Sovereign
by ImpetuousAllure
Summary: Clary was raised by Valentine and trained with her brother Jonathan. When her father suddenly dies in battle, Clary is sent to finish her training at an institute where she meets the Lightwood family. [AU. Rated M for future gory scenes and possible lemons.]
1. A new start

**_Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of these characters. This is my own portrayal of them._**

 ** _Summary: Clary's parents had been separated for many years and Valentine had ended up gaining full custody of her when she was a toddler as soon as he found out about her since he had shown that he was more financially stable to be her guardian instead of her mother. He raised her with her brother Jonathan whom Jocelyn had not taken with her when she fled after she saw what kind of a monster he became because of Valentine. Now in the present Valentine had just been recently killed in battle, leaving a will that indicated that Clary would finish her training at an institute of his choosing whilst he had Jonathan stay in Idris to take care of the family manor, and finish what his father had started. More information may be shown in later chapters. I hope you enjoy this story._**

An exasperated sigh emitted from Clary's lips as she finally had finished packing her bag. She was beyond infuriated that her father would send her away to people she didn't know at all, and if that wasn't unpleasant enough she was also going to be kept away from her brother.

As she was over thinking her current predicament she was unable to stop herself from remembering just how she came to be living here at the Morgenstern manor. It was almost comical that she was initially brought to live here almost indefinitely, but now she was being thrown out until she was of age and finished her training in order to come back to be with her brother.

Jonathan and Clary were attached to the hip almost immediately when her father had brought her home to live with them. She was too little to know the full situation between her parents, but Valentine did allow Clary to visit her mother regularly.

As clary grew older she tried to rid herself of the idea that her parents would get back together and they'd all be a happy family. That was until her mother married another man, and crushed her dream which caused Clary to feel some sort of hatred towards her. She never wanted to believe the stories that her father told her about how her mother had ran off pregnant with her, and found safety in the arms of Valentine's best friend. In the end it was true and once she was old enough to understand better she felt horrible for feeling that way about her mother when she witnessed the side of Valentine that her mother had warned her about and was the reason she tried to escape with Clary in the first place. She surprisingly grew fond of her new step-father Luke over the years, and enjoyed her visits with Jocelyn, which were always a nice getaway when things got too rough in her household.

Even after realizing those facts about her father, Clary still loved him in her own twisted way. She knew that he was only being tough on her to help strengthen her so she could be the best warrior and help rid the world of demons, and keep the order of the world in balance.

Now at the age of seventeen, Clary was one of the best shadowhunters in their era alongside her brother. Valentine had trained them both relentlessly, and by any means necessary. Clary had the scars to prove this, but she wore them with pride, and never faltered a bit when he would try to break her.

Jonathan on the other hand didn't like when his father would punish his sister, and would take the beatings himself for them both on the real horrible days. Clary was always there afterwards and tended to his wounds. And he did the same whenever she was injured by either the hand of their father or from battle wounds when they were sent off on expeditions.

Clary was brought of her inner thoughts when she heard someone knocking on her door. "Come in." She replied as she picked up her bag, knowing it was most likely her brother.

Jonathan opened the door, hesitating in the doorway until he saw his sister carrying what looked to be a heavy duffel bag. "I'll take that for you little sister." Jonathan crossed the room, taking the bag into his hold as if it weighed nothing as he smiled faintly down at Clary, noticing that she seemed to have calmed down from her earlier fit when the news of her leaving the manor was announced. "It won't be that bad, Clarissa. I promise that I will visit you often, and if you need me at any moment I'm only a portal away."

A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth when she noticed that he was trying to comfort her like always, which helped ease her mind just a tiny bit. "Thank you, Jonathan. I'm sorry for being such a bitch earlier. It's going to be difficult to get used to you not being there, but like you said you'd only be a portal away."

Jonathan nudged her arm as he let out a chuckle. "There you go. That's the spirit. Now let's start going. The Lightwoods will be expecting us shortly."

Clary refrained from grumbling as she nodded her head in agreement with him as they made their way downstairs and out of the house.

A short while later they found themselves outside the institute. Clary snorted when caught a glimpse of what the building was disguised as before she concentrated a bit more to break through the glamour. She sneaked a peek over at her brother, smirking in a sly manner before she spoke in an amused tone. "I hope they're prepared to handle a Morgenstern in their household."

Jonathan chuckled darkly as he could only picture the havoc his sister would bring to their lives, but he knew that she would be able to handle herself, and it would be good for her to be around people her own age. "I guess we just have to go inside and see. Ready, sister?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, brother." Clary replied with a tinge of humor laced in her tone as she placed her hand over the gate and asked permission to enter the institute. Taking a deep breath as the gate let out a low groan as it opened for them to step through.

 ** _Please feel free to leave reviews, and check back to see what else is in store for Clary in her new chapter in her life._**


	2. Bittersweet Tragedy

Clary and Jonathan had just stepped out of the elevator that brought them up into the institute, and were greeted with a small cat that was currently meowing in front of them.

"Aww look Jonathan!" Clary exclaimed before she crouched down, extending her hand out for the cat to allow it to greet her first. She had to stifle the urge to laugh when it went onto its back, making her automatically start to rub its belly before she reached out to pick it up to cradle it against her chest as she rose up to her feet.

"It is rather cute. I suppose." Jonathan reached out to pet it, and had to resist the urge to growl when it had scratched his hand.

Clary choked back a laugh as she went back to petting the cat, which made it start to purr. She glimpsed up to see her brother glaring at her since he knew she found that incident amusing. "I don't think it likes you very much. It probably senses that you're not an animal lover."

Jonathan rolled his eyes in annoyance, but a hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth when he knew that she was just messing with him. He tried not to break his gaze to look in the direction down the corridor when he felt they were being watched, making him whisper that information to his sister in another language.

Clary refrained from looking to where Jonathan had just mentioned there were others with them now. She carefully set the cat down, watching with amusement as it trotted off in the direction where she thought their audience were at. She stood up, keeping close to Jonathan and felt at ease when he had grasped her hand as they waited patiently to get their introduction over with.

"Is that really the girl we've heard such great things about? She's so tiny! But I wonder who is with her. He's such a hot piece of—"

"Isabelle! Keep both your hormones and voice to a minimum. It's not nice to judge people." Alec retorted in a slight annoyed manner, shaking his head in disbelief that his sister was acting how she was at the moment.

"She does kind of look like she might be a little spitfire. As for the guy… You might have to have your vision checked, Iz. Especially if you think that could compete with this." He waved his hand over his form, smirking in a sly manner as he did so.

"If you are all done being rude by spying on our new guest instead of going to introduce yourselves, kindly step aside so I may do the respectful thing. I swear I thought I raised you all better." Maryse said with complete disapproval in her tone as she shook her head and brushed past the three stunned teenagers.

"Sorry Mom." Isabelle and Alec replied to her retreating form as they both followed suit.

Jace held back for a while then sighed as he too followed after them to welcome this new guest to their lives. He wasn't sure if this was even worth his time to be quite honest. That was until he had gotten a closer look at the infamous Clarissa Morgenstern. His golden hues traveled along her entire form before resting along her facial features, noticing the subtle hints of freckles that displayed there on her porcelain skin. Her verdant optics were mesmerizing as well as her auburn hair. He thought about how it would feel to run his fingers through… Wait… 'Pull yourself together' Jace murmured to himself as he shook his head to clear his thoughts and averted his gaze, but didn't fail to notice that the man beside her was looking at him with an expression he just couldn't put his finger on at the moment. Maybe jealousy?

Clary looked up when she saw a woman walking over to meet her along with three teenagers trailing behind her. She straightened her shoulders, releasing her hold on Jonathan's hand as she placed a kind smile upon her lips.

"Hello, you must be Clarissa. I'm Maryse Lightwood. It's a pleasure to meet you." She held out her hand to shake with Clarissa's before she turned her gaze on the gentleman beside her. "And you must be Jonathan. Is that correct?"

"It's nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Lightwood. And yes this is Jonathan." Clary replied in a gentle tone a she kept her smile in place.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for intruding. I just wanted to make sure Clary made it inside safely." Jonathan shook hands with Maryse, flashing her a charming grin as he did so.

"Oh, no need to apologize. I'm glad you decided to come up with her. You can join us for dinner before you leave. If you would like to?" Maryse smiled at both siblings before she frowned slightly when she heard the phone ringing in the distance. She excused herself and she went to go answer it.

Isabelle waited until her mother left before she smirked and set her gaze upon Clary. "So, are you guys a couple?"

A laugh emitted from Clary's lip when she heard her brother nearly squawked when the dark haired girl asked that particular question. Clary shook her head as she met her gaze. "By the angel, no. This is my brother Jonathan."

Alec jabbed Isabelle's side with his elbow, flashing her a look of irritation before glancing over at Clary and Jonathan with a grim expression. "Please forgive my sister. She doesn't seem to have a filter. My name is Alec. And this is my sister Isabelle, and our brother Jace." Alec motioned to them both, feeling rather embarrassed all of the sudden since he normally didn't like being in the spotlight.

Isabelle crossed her arms over her chest as she glanced between the siblings once again. "I would have never guessed that. You both don't look anything alike. Except maybe a few tiny resemblances."

Jonathan hid a smirk as he shrugged a shoulder in a casual manner. "She takes after our mother whilst I take after our father. It's nice to meet you all. I hope you'd be kind enough to keep an eye out for my little sister. It would help ease my mind whilst she's away from home."

Clary's verdant optics rolled skywards in response to her brother's last remark, making her nudge his side as she tried not to scowl up at him. "I don't think that's necessary, Jon. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don't need protection from anyone." Clary smiled faintly in their direction after she had said that. "Not to mean any offense to you guys."

Jace had stayed rather quite the entire time as he watched how Clary and her brother interacted with them. Before he could think of anything to say he turned around when Maryse came back into the room, noticing that something wasn't right. "Is something wrong?"

Maryse let out a sigh as she refrained from grimacing. "Actually yes. There seems to have been a report about a demon attack. I'm going to need the three of you to go and check it out." She turned her gaze upon Clary and Jonathan, offering them an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for this little disturbance. I had wished to give you a proper tour of the place before dinner, but I can at least show you to your room whilst my children leave for a short while."

Clary and Jonathan had been having a private conversation in response to the mention of a demon attack before they gave their attention back to Maryse. Clary smiled ruefully as she thought of something to ask. "Actually… I was thinking if it'd be alright if my brother and I tag along with them. The more backup the better, right?"

Maryse pondered over that proposal before she nodded her head in agreement, feeling a little better that at least if it turned out to be more than one demon that her children would have help, and it would also let her know where Clary stood with her training. "It's settled then. Ready yourselves, and if you need anything, just ask my son Alec and he will gladly help with whatever you need." Maryse bid them goodbye and made sure to tell her children something before she went back to make some phone calls.

Clary heard when the others left to their weapons room before she had begun to mark Jonathan with runes before she allowed him to mark her as well. They had been in the middle of making sure what weapons to bring when the others arrived back in the room.

Sooner than she thought they were at the location of the attack and had split up into pairs whilst Jace went alone to investigate since he voiced that he didn't need backup. Clary had tried her best to not roll her eyes in annoyance when she heard how cocky he had sounded, and instead was patrolling around with Jonathan until she heard Alec call out to them all. She ran towards where he was, knowing Jonathan was running beside her and trying to keep pace with her since obviously her legs were so much shorter than his.

Clary looked over at Alec with mild confusion showing on her features for a brief second when he was signaling for them to not proceed forward.

"It isn't the demon that we were expecting and there are far too many of them. We need to report this back." Alec grimaced when that earned him rather crude remarks from Isabelle and Jace, but he suddenly looked over towards Clary and Jonathan when they had started to walk towards the demons. "Wait! There's too many for the both of you!"

Clary snorted as she spared him a glance as she grasped one of her seraph blades, saying it's name aloud to bring it life before she spoke to him in an amused tone. "If you're too scared you're free to leave. I've handled worse before." Clary turned her gaze back to Jonathan who was smirking down at her as he too was holding his weapon of choice.

"Are you ready little sister?" Jonathan inquired as he looked over her to see that the other three seemed to be arguing with one another, making him shake his head in disbelief that they weren't as brazen like himself and his sister.

"I'm always ready. Care to help give me a lift when we are within reach?" Clary asked him as she twirled the seraph blade in her grasp with a flick of her wrist, feeling the familiar thrum coursing through her as it always happened when she was about to go into battle.

Jonathan beckoned her to follow him as he smirked darkly as a glint of excitement shone in his eyes. "Let's show them what they're going to be dealing with."

Jace's eyes widened in shock when he saw Clary's small form inching towards the incoming threat, making him brush past his siblings to run after her to help, but he wasn't expecting what he was about to witness next.

Clary braced herself before she ran in the direction of her brother as he moved in position to allow herself to propel off of his waiting hands for a boost to fling herself into the air. The edge of the blade sliced one of the heads clean off the demon whilst Clary landed with grace on her feet, barely able to maneuver herself to flip backward and then proceed straight into a cartwheel action to get out of its grasp when it had reached for her with a loud growl. Clary smirked deviously as she beckoned it forward, stifling a laugh when it foolishly sprang towards her as she ran straight for it, waiting until it positioned itself for her so she could stab the blade into its jugular and sliced it straight down its chest, taking advantage of its crumbling form to discard of its last few heads. She watched in mere delight as it vanished back to its realm, feeling rather satisfied, but that passed quickly when she had turned to see Jace frozen a few feet away from her and he hadn't noticed that something was coming towards him. "Move out of the way!" Clary yelled at him before she retrieved her dagger, bringing her arm back before she flung the dagger forward, watching as it hit its mark.

Jace couldn't believe what he had seen Clary do. She was such a fragile thing in his eyes, but boy was he wrong. He felt a sudden feeling of praise for her rise from deep within himself, making him feel odd since he never cared for others that way except his family. He barely heard what she said to him before he ducked out of the way as a dagger was flung within inches of his face. He took out his seraph blade, calling its name aloud before he could finish off the demon and retrieved her dagger that seemed to be intact.

Isabelle and Alec watched in horror when a demon almost managed to catch Jace off guard. He was the best shadowhunter in their eyes, and never faltered a bit during battle. Their horror turned into relief when out of all people it was Clary who saved him. They both sprung into action afterwards and helped each other take down another demon whilst Jace was battling another on his own.

Jonathan watched with pure pride as his sister was almost relentless with taking down demons with such ease, looking like an avenging angel in the process. He moved to fight alongside her, loving how they worked together in perfect unison, blocking out the world as they were overtaken with the high of the fight.

Clary was panting faintly as she had slayed the last demon, trying not to wince when ichor had sprayed onto parts of her skin that weren't covered by her clothing and now were starting to bug her. She went over to Jonathan, her gaze flickering along his entire form to make sure he was okay before she placed her hand against his cheek.

Jonathan patted her hand when it rested against his cheek, offering her a smile. "I'm alright. Stop fretting already and let me give you a healing rune for those burns." He raised his hand to take her hand in his hold, turning her arm over as he let out a whistle when he saw how much ichor managed to get on certain parts of her.

Clary's cheeks burned slightly when he called her out for fretting over his well being. She knew he was more than alright, but she loved her brother too much to not make sure. She held her arm out fully for him, trying not to grimace at the familiar but still uncomfortable sting from the iratze. "Thank you. Now your turn, and don't try to deny that you didn't sustain anything. Even you aren't that invincible."

Jonathan chuckled as he reached out to ruffle her hair before he allowed her to mark him as well. "There are you satisfied now? Because we have an audience now." He inclined his head towards where the others were waiting.

A soft sight emitted from Clary's lips as she nodded her head once in answer to his question before they made it over to the other three. She inwardly prayed that they would just keep quiet and head back to the institute, and almost as if they knew her exact thoughts that's what ended up happening.

Jonathan pulled Clary to a stop when they reached the institute, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear as the corner of his mouth tugged into a slight smile. "It's time for me to leave. I'll be back before you could even think about missing your favorite brother."

Clary knew this moment was coming, but she didn't think it would hurt her as much it did when it finally came. She smiled up at her brother before he embraced her, making her hid her face against his chest before she titled her face up to speak in a hushed tone. "Are you sure you don't want me to make you a portal to get back home?"

Jonathan shook his head in answer to her question as he rubbed her back to further calm her since he felt her tense up ever since he mentioned leaving her. "No, that's not necessary. I don't want you to use up your strength. You need to save your strength for the rest of your training."

Clary stepped back from his embrace when she felt his arms loosen their hold on her, fighting the urge to frown and instead held her ground and made sure to keep a blank expression since she felt someone watching them. "Goodbye Jonathan."

"It isn't goodbye sister. I'll be seeing you soon, and we will be keeping in touch." He leaned down to place a kiss against her cheek before he walked away from her, and set off to make his way home.

Clary didn't look back at his retreating form, but instead took a deep breath and walked through the gate. She wasn't surprised when she saw a figure in the distance that was leaning against the elevator. She was a little caught off guard when she neared the figure only to discover that it was Jace. "You didn't have to wait for me."

Jace pushed the button to call down the elevator as he shrugged his shoulder in a casual manner, trying to hide a smirk since he knew that he had caught her off guard. "It was no problem at all. I just wanted to make sure a pretty lady like yourself made it safely upstairs and of course escort you to your room."

Clary got into the elevator with Jace, stifling a laugh in response to his chivalrous act. "Oh, I'm sure that was your innocent intention. I don't suppose you are expecting some kind of reward for your kind gesture?" She arched a brow as she peered over in his direction, trying not to allow her gaze to linger too long on him. She wasn't blind. She knew that under ordinary circumstances that he was the type of guy she'd bring home to fool around with, but for some reason she didn't plan on acting on that instinct.

Jace faked he was hurt and placed a hand over his heart, gasping aloud for show as well. "Ouch. You seriously wound me. Here I was just trying to be a kind gentleman." The corner of his mouth tugged into a sly smirk as a hint of a challenge shown in his golden hues. "But just for curiosity sake. Would I have gotten a reward?"

Clary stepped out of the elevator, feeling rather amused in response to his words, and bristled slightly when she saw him smirking at her, hating that his looks and how he carried himself was actually getting a reaction out of her. She recovered quickly to shrug her shoulder in an nonchalant manner, hiding a grin as she peeked over her shoulder at him. "Maybe, but I guess you'll never know." She continued to walk down the corridor, looking down at her feet as the cat was now following her as she walked in the direction of where she heard familiar voices.

A while later Clary found herself in her designated room along with the cat whom she was told was named Church. She thought it was rather adorable. After she took in the surroundings of her room she proceeded to unpack all of her things and organize everything like how she had when she was at home.

She had just finished taking a shower and changed into her pajamas when she noticed Church wanted to be let out of her room, making her stalk over to the door and open it. She was also unexpectedly met with Jace standing in front of her room with his hand frozen mid-air as if he was just about to knock on her door. She arched her perfectly shaped brow as crossed her arms over her chest. "May I help you?"

Jace had found himself almost dumbfounded when the door to Clary's room opened before he even had a chance to knock. He watched as Church exited the room before he set his gaze on Clary, trying to keep a blank expression as he realized that she was merely wearing a fitted tank top and cotton pajama shorts. This outfit let nothing to the imagination, and he found himself averting his gaze almost immediately as he cleared his throat. "I was stopping by to see if you were interested in having some food. I ordered pizza, and I noticed that you hadn't eaten since you've been here. Would you like a slice?" Jace flicked his gaze to her verdant optics, making sure that was where he was only looking.

Clary wasn't expecting that to be the reason that he was knocking on her door at this time of night, but before she could even decline, her traitorous body let out a low rumble at the mere mention of food. A hint of a smirk played at her lips when she studied his face better and noticed he was trying to only look her in the eye. She pretended to ponder over his offer before she shrugged her shoulder in a casual manner. "That actually sounds good. Thank you for the offer Jace."

Jace was a little too excited when she agreed, making him step out of her way momentarily before he led her towards the kitchen. He motioned for her to take a seat at the table while he got plates and drinks for them.

Clary happily took the water bottle he handed her and the plate. She placed two slices of pizza on her plate, nearly drooling when she smelled the food. She took a smile bite, trying to ignore that he was watching her every move. After she wiped her mouth clean after she polished off the first slice of pizza she looked over at him, attempting to not balk over the fact that he had eaten way more than her within the few minutes that they had been sitting down at the table. Instead she took a sip of water to take a moment before she spoke in a casual way. "So, where is everyone else?"

Jace took a drink of juice he had gotten himself before he held her gaze, noticing that she had hardly eaten. "They had dinner earlier, but I wasn't in the mood for what they had so I waited until they retired for the day and ordered my favorite pizza. Are you not too fond of it?" Jace had looked at her in a questioning manner when he had said his last comment.

Clary nearly blushed when he assumed she didn't like the food he had went out of his way to share with her. She smiled apologetically at him as she played with the cap of the water bottle. "It's actually really good, but I got full already. Do you want the last slice?" She pushed her plate towards him, hoping he didn't mind that she nibbled on that slice a bit. She wasn't lying though. She did feel full already. It was most likely due to her nerves that seemed to appear as soon as they were left alone together. It was making her feel weird that he would make her feel a certain type of way that she never had felt with any other guy. She would blame it with the lack of sleep since the current events in her life recently had brought upon endless nights of restless sleep.

"Sure." Jace took the pizza from her plate, inwardly telling himself to make sure she ate better the following morning. She was too thin for his liking, and he could tell now that she appeared to be exhausted. He couldn't blame her though. Especially since he was told about her father's recent passing, and now she was starting a new chapter in her life by coming here.

After Clary convinced him to let her help clean up the small mess they made in the kitchen, he had escorted her back to her room, which she oddly fond comforting. As she was just about to close the door she sneaked a peek up at him, smiling faintly as she spoke in a hushed tone. "Thank you for the late night snack. Goodnight."

Jace shifted his weight on his other foot as he was feeling a little vulnerable under her stare when she had thanked him. "Goodnight, Clarissa." He gave her a slight wave and turned on his heel to leave to his room, which coincidentally was next door to her room, but he stopped mid-step when she called out to him. He turned his head to look at her. "Yes?"

Clary was in the hallway now facing Jace, waiting until he turned to look at her, making her give a subtle grin. "I'd prefer it if you called me, Clary."

Jace smirked and nodded his head. "Alright. Goodnight Clary."

She watched as he continued to walk away, and to her shock she saw that his room ended up being next door to hers. She shook her head as she quickly went into her room, closing and locking it behind her before she thought too much over the fact that he was going to be so close to her at night.

"Get it together girl. Stick to the plan. No time for getting attached to people." She murmured aloud to herself before she shut off the bedside lamp and got settled into bed, letting out a yawn as tried to find her spot.

That night she didn't have any nightmares, but instead she had a very interesting dream that involved a certain someone.

 ** _Please don't forget to leave comments. It let's me know to continue further with the story and as well as encourage me with my writing._**


	3. Disenchanted

**_Author's note: I just wanted to put it out there that I am not going strictly by the books. This is my own twist based on the series, but yes there will still be material from some books that will play out in upcoming chapters._**

 ** _Also, I don't own the rights to the lyrics that were used in this chapter. The particular song chosen was All Time Low by NIN. I found it oddly fitting for a particular reason. Heh._**

Two weeks had passed since Clary had first arrived at the institute. She had set a steady routine with both her training, and going out on missions with the Lightwoods with ease.

She was still feeling a little homesick, but that soon would be forgotten for a short while since she planned on having some fun whilst Maryse was going to be out of town for a few days.

Clary had been instructed by Isabelle to prepare herself for a fun night out, but she hadn't gone into details. With that slim amount of information, Clary currently found herself sorting through her closet for an outfit. She settled upon an onyx colored dress she knew would cling to her subtle curves, and display her chest perfectly with its plunging neckline. The dress hit just barely past her thigh, but she would still be able to place a thigh sheath beneath the fabric for a dagger she would bring with her tonight amongst a few other things she would conceal carefully since she always wanted to be prepared.

Clary was now examining herself in the mirror, feeling satisfied with the loose curls she managed to get her hair to stay in along with her subtle makeup look. She made sure to go for a more for a smoky eye look and had managed to accentuate her verdant hues even more with the eyeshadows she had chosen. She also had settled upon a bold liquid lipstick shade as well. She added a quick spray of her favorite perfume and once she was satisfied with how she appeared she went on to finally slip on the matching platforms that went perfectly with her dress. She loved the amount of height she got from these particular ones, and how they were rather comfortable to move around in.

Not long after, Clary found herself walking out of her room both armed and ready for a little fun with her newest friend, Isabelle. She found out that they were so much alike in ways, and they had formed a bond within the time she had been here so far.

Her mind flitted in the direction of Jace almost immediately since he too was someone she thought she was getting close to. Not fighting the urge to remember the flirtatious ways they both allowed themselves to be around one another within the short amount of time she had been here. And just as if conjured up by her mere thoughts she was met with his golden gaze as soon as she made it to the elevator. Her verdant hues traveled along his entire form which set her nether regions ablaze against her will at the sight of him in all black. She couldn't help but notice how his shirt was so fitted and she could almost picture how his muscular form would look without the material covering him. She tried to rid those thoughts from her mind and instead placed a prurient smile upon her lips as she spoke with a teasing lilt to her tone. "I see that Isabelle finally convinced you to come along with us. You dress up pretty well too."

Jace's jaw nearly dropped in response to Clary's appearance. That dress displayed her form so well, and left nothing to the imagination. He gulped as he pried his eyes from her body to meet her gaze, placing a charming smirk upon his lips as he spoke in the same teasing manner as she had. "You're not looking so bad yourself. I hope you're prepared for a night out with Isabelle though. There's no telling what she's got planned for tonight."

Clary twirled a strand of her hair in an absent-minded manner, smirking in response to what he said, making her shrug a shoulder in a nonchalant way. "I'm game for whatever she has up her sleeve."

Jace was going to reply to her, but was interrupted when Isabelle came charging into the room, demanding their attention so she could fill them in on where she was taking them whilst they rode down the elevator.

It didn't take them long to reach the club she had brought them to. Clary wasn't surprised to see that the front section of the club was more for mundanes, and towards the back there was a secret entrance where they would be spending their night at. She nearly gasped aloud when they made it inside the intended club of the night, verdant hues scanning the entire area as she took in the blaring music, swaying bodies, and having spotted different downworlders along with shadowhunters in the closed environment. This company would suffice for the fun she was planning on having tonight. Especially since her protective brother wasn't here to hover near her, and shut down any mischievous acts that she was in the mood for.

"Put these on. They'll get you access to almost everything. Now if you'll excuse me momentarily I have to thank the gracious person who was able to set this up." Isabelle had handed both Jace and Clary neon colored wristbands before she departed from them after flashing them a playful wink, and made her way through the crowd, having not left them a chance to even respond to her.

Clary felt Jace staring at her as she was taking her time with putting on her wristband, trying to buy herself some time before she would have to face the fact that they were left alone. She dared to look up to meet his gaze, trying to keep her composure as to not show how his close proximity was causing her to feel some type of way. "Do you want to get a drink?" She surprised herself when she had been able to say her words without stammering.

A subtle smirk tugged at the corner of Jace's mouth when he heard her offer, making him nod his head in agreement. "Sure. Tell me what you want, and I'll bring it to you."

Clary attempted to fight back a flush when she thought it was quite kind of him to offer to get the drink for her. She tilted her head to the side, smiling in an amused manner as she pondered over what to ask for. "Hmm. Anything strong would be nice. I'm not too picky."

Jace reached out to brush his fingers against her arm, not fully realizing what he had done until he felt her tremble under his touch, causing him to smirk smugly to have gotten that reaction out of her. "I'll shall return with your choice of poison, my lady." He retorted in an amorous tone.

Clary almost rolled her eyes in response to his last words, trying to fight back a grin as she waved him off. She watched as he walked towards the bar before averting her gaze around the club, attempting to ignore the looks she was being given until her gaze settled on Isabelle whom was busy on the dance floor with a particular handsome fellow. She figured that was the secret individual that had allowed them to get into this exclusive establishment. She was soon pulled back to the present when a drink was placed in her line of vision, peering up to see Jace smirking at her as she reached out to take the colorful drink into her hand. She took a small sip, trying to keep a straight face when the contents were stronger than she had expected, making her clear her throat in order to even speak. "Thank you, Jace."

Jace took a moment to take a drink of his bourbon he had ordered, giving him a moment to enjoy the way his name had spilled from her luscious lips. He instead found himself a moment later trying not to laugh when he noticed a look pass over her features when she had taken a sip of the drink he had gotten her, making him arch a brow in an amused manner. "Too strong for you?"

Clary shot him a playful glare, trying to hide a smile as she forced herself to take a much longer drink from the cocktail he had gotten her. "Not anything that I can't handle. I've been known to handle things much stronger than this. I'm not as fragile as I may appear."

Jace had read between the lines of how she replied to his comment, making him wonder if she intended for it to sound as suggestive as he had taken it to be. He finished his drink and set his empty glass aside. "Oh, I'm sure you're not as dainty as you seem to appear."

Clary knew she shouldn't continue this flirtatious charade with him for any longer before she gave into her traitorous hormones that had been driving herself insane with an almost unbearable need that she desperately needed to be relieved of. She finished her drink and casted it aside, thankful that it had given her some liquid courage that she needed in this moment since she couldn't help but notice the glint of lust in his gaze. "Thank you again for the drink. I'm sure you're about to have your hands quite busy in a moment or so though." She laughed when she saw a look of confusion pass along his features, making her point in the direction of a girl that she had noticed was eyeing Jace since he had returned to her. She waved at him before she sauntered away, trying to push down the jealousy she was feeling when she knew that he would act upon going to greet his admirer. She was too sober for her liking and decided to head to the bar to drown herself in as much liquor as she could hold.

Clary didn't know how much time had passed since she left Jace, but she was currently feeling the blissful effects of the alcohol she had consumed and was now on the dance floor amongst the other swaying bodies beside her. She grinned wickedly when she heard people beginning to cheer when the oh so familiar faerie liquid had begun to be dispensed upon the dancing crowd, making her hold her hand out to catch some of the contents which then she proceeded lick her fingers clean as she shut her eyes and basked in the immediate effects of the liquid. When she opened her eyes she was met with familiar golden hues, but she didn't have time to react when she witnessed him dancing with a girl because she was suddenly in a perfect blissful trance. She felt dizzy from the combination of the alcohol and drugs, and if she thought she couldn't enjoy herself anymore she was wrong. She suddenly heard one of her favorite songs beginning to play.

The overhead lights had changed to match the enticing beat of the song, making Clary close her eyes as her body began to move along to the song in an almost covetable way whilst she found herself singing along as she did so.

 _"Well this particular scenario looks like another all time low. Why did you go and let them in? See this is where the fun begins. You barely even pierced the skin, just wait till you see what is coming."_

Clary felt arms wrap around her waist, tilting her head upwards she was met with a tall dark haired man whom she thought appeared rather good looking, and didn't know if it was strictly the liquor talking, but she found herself moving her body against his as they danced to the song, enjoying the feel of his lips when they boldly caressed the skin of her neck.

 _"Get down on the floor. Shut the goddamn door. Been down this road before. We're coming back for more."_

Clary teasingly grinded her ass against her partners crotch, smirking in a prurient manner when she felt their response rather than heard it. She turned around in their hold to wrap her arms around their neck, looking up into his darkened gaze before he leaned down to press his lips against hers. A moan emitted from deep within her throat as she threaded her fingers into his hair, trembling slightly when his hands traveled down along her body as she eagerly returned his passionate kiss, ignoring the warning in the back of her mind that something about this act felt wrong, and she wondered why their touch felt oddly familiar.

 _"This paranoia turns to fear. Just who was whispering in your ear? Pretending, but I know you hear. Just how'd we fucking end up here?"_

Clary stifled another moan when she felt him bite down on her lip hard before the taste of copper filled her mouth as his tongue then lapped it up before he pulled back from her as the song finished. He smirked down at her as he released her from his hold and melted away into the crowd, leaving her frozen in spot as her body was yearning for the relief of her pent up sensual desires.

Without knowing just what she was doing, Clary was pushing through the crowd and had ended up in the mundane section of the club, and proceeded towards the exit. As she walked outside into the chilly atmosphere she had been in the process of texting someone, and giving them the address of the institute, feeling content with knowing that very soon tonight she was going to give into her inner desire with the help of a close friend.

And unbeknownst to her at the time a certain someone wouldn't find what's to play out too appealing later that night.

 ** _Please don't forget to leave comments. They don't go unnoticed, and I appreciate the feedback. I hope to update soon._**


	4. Burning Desire

**_Author's Note:_** ** _Just a fair warning that there will be slight smut right off the bat. It's not as detailed as other moments in future chapters will be, but I just wanted to warn you before you read any further._**

Clary had been rather busy in her room when she heard someone knocking on her door, making her elicit an exasperated sigh. She ignored their futile attempts to grab her attention to whomever was outside of the door and instead went back to seducing her current company in bed.

Jace had seen Clary storm off abruptly from the club, which made him immediately follow after her, but when he made it outside she was already gone. He had rushed back home, and was now giving up on the hope that she would speak to him. He wasn't clueless to the fact that he saw she was almost hurt by the sight of him dancing with that nobody. He didn't like that he had hurt her, and not to mention the fact that she had awoken some feelings he thought he had locked away for good. He didn't like the fact of opening himself up to another person because that made him vulnerable. He didn't like the feeling of losing people, hence the meaningless hookups he would have to not risk getting attached to someone. And now here he was in front of a door like some fool, begging for someone that he hoped was feeling the same way as he was right now. With a defeated sigh he pulled away from her closed door and made his way to his room. The effects of the liquor allowed him to fall asleep almost instantaneously after he had removed his clothing and only was left wearing his boxers before he collapsed into his awaiting bed.

Meanwhile in the room next door things were escalating quickly for Clary and her companion. She leaned down to place kisses along his jawline and continued until reaching his neck whilst she teasingly grinded her heated core against his manhood. A salacious smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth when that movement earned a groan from her companion before she spoke in a whisper near his ear. "Are you ready for me?"

"Shit… Yes…" He stammered his reply as he hesitantly placed his hands against her waist.

Clary leaned back to gaze down upon him, keeping her salacious smirk upon her lips before she reached down between them to grasp his cock, slowly bringing it to rest against her entrance. She bit down on her lip as wriggled her hips slightly and slowly lowered herself down onto him, making them both moan in unison. She stilled herself as she moved to place one hand against his bare chest whilst the other gripped onto the wooden headboard for support. "Relax, Simon. I'm going to make this feel really good for you." When she felt his hips rise to meet hers she knew he was just as eager as she was to continue on, and that's exactly what she did.

Not so long after Jace had fallen asleep he found himself stirring awake, wondering why he had woken up. He turned onto his back as he tried to listen out for anything that could have woken him, and when all he heard was complete silence he had started to close his eyes once again to fall back asleep. Within a passing moment his eyes sprang open when he heard a muffled cry coming from nearby. He strained to hear for a moment longer, and just as before he heard what now clearly sounded like moans. He squirmed in his bed, thinking that Clary was touching herself in the next room, which made him strain against his boxers. He knew he shouldn't continue to listen, but he couldn't help himself. She sounded so sexy when she moaned, and he desperately wanted nothing more than to march over there and be the cause of the pleasure she was giving herself right now. His hand had started to creep down into his boxers and just as he was even thinking about going through with this sinful act he was frozen in shock when he clearly heard groans that had to be coming from another person in the room. A pang of emotion hit him deep within his chest before that turned to anger for having allowed the delusion of him being with Clary play in his mind. He wretched his hand out of his boxers and reached out blindly to open a drawer from his bedside table to grab his headphones, and proceeded to blast music to not suffer with listening to what was being done in the room next door.

Hours had passed now, and Clary found herself feeling oddly warmer than usual. She was going to push the blankets off herself to cool down, but that was when she noticed that she was being held against something. She warily opened her eyes, trying to hold back a scream when she noticed someone was in bed with her. It only took her a moment to see who it was. "Simon!" She squeaked, which caused him to wake up immediately.

Simon blinked awake as he peered into her verdant hues as a lazy smile curved his lips as he spoke in a sleepy tone. "Good morning to you too, Clary."

She was internally freaking out as she tried to desperately remember exactly what happened last night. She remembered arriving at the club, and partially recalling she had done some dancing, but that's all she remembered, and then it hit her. She must have blacked out after the mix of alcohol and the drugs she had taken. She bit her lip as she forced herself to peer up at him sheepishly. "Umm… How did you get here?"

Simon arched a brow as a look of confusion passed along his features before he thought back to the events of last night. He had been out with his bandmates, and one of them had scored some liquor. He remembered drinking and having a good time when he had gotten a text from Clary, which he replied to quickly, and had taken a cab to see her. He was surprised to find out that she was in town, and thought nothing of it up until he fully understood what she was asking him over for. He wasn't a ladies man exactly, but he had needs. And had been with a few other girls, but he had always pictured this moment between them having played out differently. He found himself coming out of his thoughts when Clary waved a hand in front of his face, making him recall that she just had asked him something. "You asked me to meet you here. Don't you remember?"

Clary was baffled by what he just told her until she began to get bits and pieces of what they had ended up doing, making her pull away from him and lift the blanket away from them. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in their naked state. She almost forgot that she had indeed texted him after she left the club and had found her way back to the institute. She almost gasped aloud when it hit her that he couldn't be here, making her curse under her breath as scrambled out of bed and hurriedly grabbed something to change into.

Simon got up from the bed and began to change as well, waiting until she was fully clothed to place his hands gently against her shoulders. "Calm down, Fray. It was just a one time thing, okay?" He tried not to sound hurt that he figured she was regretting them having sex.

Clary smiled faintly when he called her by her nickname he had given her when they had first met when she was younger before her last name was changed by her father. She relaxed under his touch before she leaned against his chest, taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves. "I'm sorry I made you come here, and freaked out on you. I just need to sneak you out before anyone notices."

Simon embraced her for a moment, resting his cheek against the top of her head, feeling her relax against him. "I take it that they don't know that you've told me everything about what you guys are?"

Clary shook her head as she pulled back to look up at him. "No. I promise I'll introduce you to them soon. Just not like this." She held back a laugh when she pictured their reactions to meeting her closest friend like this. Even though they had sex last night it wasn't the only time they had fooled around together. One summer when Clary was down here to visit her mother, she had a sleep over with Simon that had led to some fooling around, but last night went further than they had ever gone before. She sort of felt a little guilty that it hadn't been when they were sober to remember it clearly, but then again maybe it was better that way. She knew he wouldn't take this as a sign of her wanting to start something with him since they already tried that in the past. She was brought out of her inner thoughts when Simon rubbed her arms, almost making her blush in embarrassment for getting lost in her mind.

Simon smirked down at her in an amused manner as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Sounds like a plan. I guess I should be going now." He gently let her go and turned on his heel to start walking towards her bedroom door.

Clary reached out to grasp his hand to pull him to a stop as a subtle smile played at her lips, trying to lift his spirits since she noticed that he seemed kind of down, and she wanted to comfort him. "I don't regret what happened, Simon. Not one bit. And I'm not just going to let you leave thinking that. I'm going to be a gracious lady as I always am, and escort my marvelous booty call out the door."

Simon felt his cheeks flush ever so slightly when she referred to him as her booty call, but he felt better knowing that she didn't regret what happened between them. "I don't regret it either." He chuckled as a certain moment popped up into his mind, making him flash her a flirty grin as he spoke in a teasing way. "I have to admit that I didn't know how feisty you could get though. You've always been so innocent in my eyes."

Clary smacked his arm gently in response to what he said whilst she failed to hold in a giggle. She did a hair-flip as she winked at him for her playful act. "What can I say, I'm just that amazing. I can't take all the credit for that unbelievable performance last night. You surprised me too. I didn't know my geeky friend had it in him to be quite dominant in the sheets." She stifled a another giggle when she saw his shocked reaction when she brought that fact up. She made her way towards the bedroom door and opened it to give him a moment to process what she had said.

Simon was thankful that she wasn't looking at him when he full on blushed when she reminded him of how he had been a little demanding at some point of the night and took control.

They walked in comfortable silence as they made it to the elevator and rode it down together. Clary had hugged him goodbye and waited until he had gotten into a cab, wanting to make sure he would make it home safely before she could go back inside. As she was heading towards the gate she heard someone behind her, making her turn around as she prepared for the worst.

Isabelle held her hands up in a defenseless manner when she saw the fighting stance Clary had gotten into, making her laugh. "Jeez. Calm down it's me."

Clary let out a sigh of relief when she saw it was only Isabelle. "You almost gave me a fright!"

Isabelle shook her head as she smirked deviously at her friend. "I see I wasn't the only one who is doing the walk of shame."

Clary squeaked in reply to what Isabelle just said. "I'm not doing the walk of shame!"

Isabelle winked at Clary before she sauntered past her to walk through the gates and head towards the elevator, hearing as Clary was following after her. "Are you sure? Cause I'm sure I just saw you sending away your mysterious, but rather good looking guest. And aren't you not on your way back inside trying not to be caught?"

Clary scowled when she knew she was sort of right. "Fine, you're right." She looked over at Isabelle, noticing her makeup had smudged a little, and that her hair was put up into a messy bun. Clary smirked slyly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "So, who was the lucky fellow? You need to spill the details."

Isabelle looked around the hallway when they walked out of the elevator once they made it upstairs, making sure none of her brothers were within earshot. Once she was satisfied that the coast was clear she turned to face Clary with an coquette grin. "It was that guy that got us into the club. He was such a charmer, and dare I say that he didn't disappoint either. How was your night?" Isabelle's eyes shone with curiosity as she waited for Clary to reply to her question.

Clary shrugged her shoulder in a casual way as she hid a smile. "It was great. I don't know if it was intensified by the alcohol or the faerie drug I had, but I feel so good now."

"I bet you do!" Isabelle nudged Clary's hip with her own, smiling wickedly.

Both girls ended up parting ways to clean themselves up, and attempt to get a few more hours of sleep before they had to start their normal routine of the day.

Clary had woken up feeling refreshed and had changed into a sports bra and leggings to wear for training. She took her time putting her hair up into a ponytail and slipped on her sneakers before she made her way out of the room and headed to the kitchen for a small breakfast. She almost paused mid-step when she saw Jace sitting at the table, making her stomach flutter at the mere gorgeous sight of him, but she shook that feeling off and headed over towards the pantry. She took out a protein bar then grabbed a cold water bottle from the fridge then proceeded to lean against the counter, facing Jace so she could smile at him. "Good morning."

Jace looked up from his uneaten breakfast, keeping a straight face as he spoke in an emotionless tone. "Morning."

Clary arched a brow as she tried to see what was wrong with him, wondering if she had bothered him by staying to eat her breakfast here with him. "Are you alright?"

Jace withheld a sigh, willing himself to stay calm even though that was hard to do since she was making him think about what he heard last night. "I'm just peachy." He got out of his seat, grabbing his plate to dispose of the uneaten food and dropped the dishes in the sink.

Clary almost jumped at the loud sound the dishes made when they fell into the sink. She reached out to stroke his arm to comfort him, but had to force herself to not frown when he moved out of her way. "You don't seem okay. Did I do something to make you upset?"

Jace slammed his hand down against the counter as that was the final straw. "Can you just drop it! I don't want to speak to you. Can't you get a hint?" He said in a venomous tone.

Clary blinked in surprise at his sudden outburst before she felt anger filling her veins, making her speak through clenched teeth. "Don't you dare raise your voice at me. I was only trying to be a good friend when I noticed you didn't seem fine. Forgive me for caring."

Jace scoffed as he gripped the edge of the counter, causing his knuckles to turn white with the amount of force he was using whilst he shot her a glare. "Oh, now you care about how I feel? I wasn't under that impression when you fucked someone last night knowing damn well my room is beside yours." He spat.

A low gasp spilled from her lips as she couldn't help but flinch at how cruel he was being. She felt herself on the verge of tears of frustration, hating that he could get this reaction out of her. She knew she was growing soft living here since she never showed much emotion at home. She lived and breathed for being the best shadowhunter, and had no time to interact with anyone besides her brother and father. And here this guy was breaking her barriers down little by little. "It's none of your business with who I chose to fuck or where I do it." She tossed her half eaten bar in the trash, keeping hold of her water bottle as she brushed past him roughly to make her way towards the training room.

Jace nearly gasped when she had spoken to him with such malice in her tone, disliking how this conversation played out. He turned around as she was almost out the doorway. "Clary, wait." His voice cracked a bit as he hoped she would stop.

Clary paused at the doorway, turning to look at him with a glare. "What now? Care to make me feel like more shit than I already do? Go right ahead. I can take it."

Jace had meant to apologize, but her cruel attitude made him snap again. "I just wanted to advise you not to bring anyone back here. It's forbidden. Oh, and you should really cover that love bite of yours up before you give people the wrong impression." He left the room before she could even sputter a reply.

Clary nearly flinched again as if he had smacked her as she watched him leave the room. She forced herself to continue her way towards her destination, hating herself for replaying his words in her mind as she went to the changing room to examine herself in a mirror. "Dammit, Simon." She grumbled as she saw he had left a hickey on her neck. She quickly took out her stele and marked herself, hoping what other marks he had managed to leave her would fade eventually as well.

She stalked out of the changing room, heading in the direction of where they kept a speaker, and proceeded to hook up her phone to it. She started to play one of her playlists before she began to do her stretches, knowing today her training was going to be brutal. She didn't mind one bit. She needed to keep her head clear. And next time she would have to face Jace, she would be prepared. No more games.

It had been a few days now since Clary and Jace had spoken to one another. She knew it was stupid to feel almost as if she had lost something. It was almost routine for them to talk amongst one another when they were sparring or trying to give each other helpful tips, and she missed those moments with him. She just didn't want to allow herself to be so vulnerable, and risk her heart being broken. It's one of the reasons why she could only name a selected few that she cared for dearly.

Today she woke up earlier than she'd ever been up since being here. She was feeling restless and couldn't stop her mind from racing and over thinking things, which had led her to her current destination. Training always left her in a trance-like state and cleared her thoughts. What she wasn't expecting was to see that someone had already beat her there. She knew who it was before she had even entered the room, and wasn't surprised to see that he was solely concentrated at his task at hand that he didn't even notice her. She let out a soft sigh before she turned on her heel to walk out of the room and hopefully find something else to preoccupy her mind with.

Jace nearly faltered mid-motion when he heard a sound come from behind him, barely able to see the svelte silhouette hesitating in the doorway. "Clary?"

She halted almost immediately at the sound of her name spilling from his lips, turning her head to the side to meet his gaze as her lip quirked up at the corner of her mouth. "Sorry, I didn't know anyone else was going to be here. I'll leave you be."

"No don't leave. Stay with me." The words spilled from his lips before he could even think through what he just said to her. It was too late, and to be honest he couldn't bear the thought of not being in the same room as her any longer.

Clary blinked in astonishment when she heard what he had said, hesitating in the doorway before she took a few steps into the room. Her verdant hues bore into his golden optics, trying to decipher his motives. "Are you sure? I can always come back another time."

Jace nodded his head. "I'm sure. I could use the company anyway."

Clary accepted his offer all too eagerly, making her way towards a section of the room where she grabbed a mat and placed it on the floor. She listened to him as he went back to what he was doing whilst she begun to do some yoga, hoping it would calm her enough so could go back to bed, and rest.

Jace glanced over in her direction every now and then, admiring the look of her losing herself in the moment as she closed herself off to everything around her and solely focused on executing every pose correctly and never faltered one bit. He had been almost ready to leave when she had suddenly appeared, and he couldn't help but try to be in her presence as much as he could to make up for the other days. He knew he shouldn't interrupt her, but he had been wanting to tell her something for some time now, and it was partially the reason as to why he hadn't been sleeping well recently. He put down the weapon he was holding before making his way over towards her.

Clary was just finishing up her yoga session when she saw him looming over her, making her stop what she was doing and sit upright to face him. "Am I in your way?"

Jace shook his head as he went on to sit down beside her on the floor, making sure to face her as he drew in a deep breath to calm himself. "I just wanted to apologize for how I acted the other day. It was uncalled for, and I don't blame you if you don't forgive me."

Clary blinked in shock. She hadn't expected that he would be apologizing to her. She reached out to rest her hand over his hand. "You don't need to apologize. I was in the wrong. I was being selfish, and only thinking of my needs. I just hope we can get back to the way things were before. Do you think that's possible?"

Jace resisted the urge to inhale sharply when her hand rested against his, feeling the oh so satisfying electricity flowing through him that happened whenever they touched. He managed to listen to what she said before he took it further and grasped her hand, running his thumb along her knuckles as a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "How about we both admit that we were both at fault, and forget about that day because I would like to get back to how we were too. And I know just the place where we can start over. That's if you're up for a little trip?"

Clary shivered in delight at the mere feeling of his fingers caressing her skin as he grasped her hand, making her heart skip a beat. She found herself grinning like an idiot as she held his gaze, trying to be content with them just being friends for the time being. "Sounds like a great idea." She titled her head to the side, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the mention of going somewhere with him. "Where will we be going?"

Jace flashed her a crooked smirk as he carefully helped her to her feet, keeping himself as close to her as he could. "Oh, you'll just have to wait and see. I'll meet you by the elevator in fifteen minutes." He held her gaze as he brought her hand up to his face to gently brush his lips against the back of her hand before releasing it to exit the room.

Clary felt her cheeks flush a bright crimson when he had kissed her hand, sending a shiver down her spine at the feeling of his lips brushing against her skin. She waited until he left before she even thought of heading back to her room. She knew she was going to be in deep trouble with this one, but she didn't care. She was willing to put in the risk, just so she could be with him.

As requested, Clary had surprisingly gotten ready within the fifteen minutes. She had settled upon wearing a crop top, dark skinny jeans, and black Doc Martens along with adding the finishing touch to her outfit with a cropped bomber jacket. She had also brought with her a few weapons, just to be safe. Clary took one last look at herself in the mirror, trying to make sure her hair stayed nicely in the ponytail she hastily put it in. She applied only a little bit of eyeliner last minute, and a nude lip color before she slipped her phone in her pocket of her jacket then made her way out of her door. Just as she was stepping into the hallway she bumped into Jace, almost knocking the wind out of her.

Jace steadied her when they had suddenly collided with one another. He chuckled since he thought it was amusing that they both had seemed lost in their own thoughts. "Are you alright?"

Clary attempted to not notice how their bodies were flush against one another, and how she felt his muscles ripple under her hold as she had gripped his arms. She peeked up at him through her lashes, smiling up at him as she nodded her head once. "Yes, I'm okay."

Jace held onto her for a moment longer before he released her and took a step back, admiring the outfit she had chosen before averting his gaze to hers. "Do you need help applying some runes before we leave?"

Clary's mouth quirked up at the corner as she was already taking her stele out of her pocket. "And I'm assuming you're going to need help as well, right?"

Jace smirked coyly when he heard her remark, and in answer he removed his leather jacket wordlessly to bare his skin to her.

Clary now held her stele steadily in her hand as she reached out to hold his arm as she began to trace the tip of the stele along his skin, marking him with runes that she thought would suffice for wherever he was taking her.

Jace's breathing hitched up ever so slightly as her dainty fingers pressed against his skin whilst she marked him with both ease and precision. As soon as she was finished he placed his jacket back on then held his hand out towards her. "Now it's your turn."

Clary handed her stele over to him before she slipped her bomber jacket off, and held out her arm for him to take. She shivered when she felt his fingers wrap around her arm, feeling the heat radiating off of him with how close he was to her. She gritted her teeth to not allow herself to make any noise of complaint as he marked her wherever it was needed. And before she knew it he had finished and returned her stele to her. She slipped her jacket back on, placing her stele back in its place before she followed him towards the elevator. She sneaked a peek over at him, curiosity getting the best of her as she found herself speaking. "Are you going to let me know where you're taking me?"

Jace smirked in a mischievous manner as the elevator began to descend. "Not a chance."

To Clary's surprise they had taken a cab, and ended up at a restaurant. She noticed immediately that this establishment was for both her kind and downworlders, which oddly comforted her since she would be able to be herself and not worry about mundanes. Clary slid into the booth across from Jace, thanking him when he handed her a menu. She skimmed through it, trying not to grimace when she passed through some rather disgusting options, which she knew were not meant for her. She glimpsed up from her menu when she saw someone stop by their booth to take their orders, watching with amusement at how the waitress was flirting with Jace. She knew that he obviously got this type of attention everywhere he went, making her shake her head as she stifled a laugh. Once they had both put in their order she turned her attention on him. "I assume that you're a regular here?"

Jace shrugged as he flashed her a charming grin. "Guilty. It's not much, but they make up for it with their food. My siblings and I come here often."

Clary looked up when the waitress set her milkshake down in front of her, watching with the same amusement as she continued to flirt with Jace, and also noticing how she would look at Clary whilst doing it as if to get a reaction out of her. Clary took a moment to gather up her thoughts as she took a sip of her milkshake before she arched a brow in an amused manner. "She seems quite smitten with you."

Jace looked at her in disbelief as he motioned towards where the waitress now stood. "Kaelie? No, she's like that with everyone."

Clary stifled a laugh as she shrugged her shoulder in a nonchalant way. "If you say so."

Jace looked at her in a curious manner, trying to read her expression, but she always managed to mask whatever she was feeling most of the time. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but paused when Kaelie came back to set their food down. He waited until she left before he spoke in a joking manner as he plucked up a fry from his plate. "Why, are you jealous or something?"

Clary nearly choked on the food she was eating, taking her time to chew and swallow before she scoffed. "As if. I was only stating that you seem to attract a certain type of lady with your presence and by how you carry yourself. Although I don't think you actually mean to. Clearly your huge ego clouds your judgement." She replied smoothly with a teasing lilt to her words.

Jace blinked in surprise before he found himself laughing, and pointed a finger at her. "You still manage to amaze me. And you're also quite adorable even when you are making fun of me."

Clary almost dropped the fry she had just picked up when she heard him say that she was adorable. She ate the fry slowly as to give her time to think of something say, so she wouldn't blush under his stare, and instead blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "The food is actually as great as you made it out to be. Thanks for bringing me here."

As Jace was watching her closely he could tell that he had caught her off guard at some point, which pleased him. "I told you. And you're very welcome. It's nice to be doing something with you other than training or filling these streets with demon blood."

"I feel the same way. It's nice for a little change in routine." Clary smiled in a jovial manner as they continued to eat their meal and make small talk as they tried to get to know one another better.

Maybe there was a chance that she could let herself care about just one more person. It couldn't hurt, right?

 ** _I hope this chapter made up for the previous one since it was said that it may have been confusing. I apologize for that. Please feel free to leave comments._**


	5. Who can you trust?

It was finally time for Clary to get to see her brother, and nothing could bring her mood down when the moment was so close. She was supposed to see him much sooner, but he had informed her that he suddenly had some business to take care of, which Clary had merely shrugged off since she could only assume that he was busy handling some unfinished work their father had left behind.

It bothered her that everything was left on her older brother's shoulders, but as always he protected her, and had taken the full burden. Clary had attempted to get him to allow her to help him carry on with the almost secretive business their father was involved in with the Clave as he claimed it was about, but he told her that it wasn't the right time, so she didn't press her luck. Their father had brought Jonathan into that business before his death, but he hadn't wanted Clary to join for some reason, and she tried not to be upset about it.

And now here she was all dressed up and ready to meet Jonathan for dinner, but to her dismay he had just recently called to tell her that he would have to come the following day to meet with her instead. She was upset that he was suddenly too busy to even see her, but this wasn't going to stop her. She was determined to see her brother, and that's exactly what she was going to do.

She didn't bother to pack anything since she was going to go to the family manor where all of her belongings were awaiting her arrival. Before she was set to leave she quickly scrawled out a hasty note to leave for the Lightwoods to see. She also took her time with writing a personal letter for Jace, which she was going to have to slide under his bedroom door immediately since he happened to be busy taking a shower at the moment. She thought it was perfect timing, so he wouldn't have the chance to chase after her, and try to talk her out of it.

With a determined expression, Clary grabbed her stele off of her dresser, placing it into the pocket of her jacket that she wore over her dress before she grabbed both letters. She exited her room, making sure to close it behind her then walked the few steps to make it to Jace's room. She crouched down to slide the letter under the door, and nearly froze in place in shock when she heard the sounds of the water shutting off. She cursed under her breath, knowing she wouldn't have much time now. She stood up, turning on her heel to head down the hallway, making a quick stop to place the letter addressed mainly to Maryse where she would see it before she made her way towards the elevator. Clary was trying not to feel guilty as the elevator descended since she hadn't said goodbye to Jace face-to-face as she should have, especially since they had gotten even closer to one another recently, but she didn't have time to dwell over that when she had to immediately proceed to exit the elevator and walk through the institute's gates.

A brisk wave of air flowed past Clary's walking form, causing her body to shiver, and make her adjust her jacket to help keep herself warm whilst a strand of her auburn locks wafted into her face. She brushed the strand of her hair away from her line of vision whilst her verdant hues scanned the area around her, making sure no one was following her as well of any signs of trouble of anything that dared crossed her path. Her gaze landed on a rather vacant looking building that was just what she was looking for.

A mirthful smile graced her lips as she stood in front of one of the walls on the side of the building before she reached into the pocket of her jacket, grasping the stele and proceeded to place the tip of it against the wall. Her hand moved almost on its own accord whilst the familiar rune was now beginning to come to life before her very eyes. She waited until the portal was illuminating in front of her before she thought of the manor, keeping the clear image in her mind, and just before she was going to step through the portal she heard her name being called, making her turn to see who it was.

Jace's POV

Jace had just emerged freshly clean and fully clothed from the bathroom, attempting to dry his hair with a towel as best as he could before he placed the towel on the back of a chair to dry.

A look of confusion settled upon his features when all of the sudden something got stuck to the bottom of his foot, making him lift it to reveal a folded letter. He picked it up almost hesitantly and opened it up to reveal what was inside. He read through every word, allowing the letter afterwards to slip from his grasp and before the letter hit the ground, he had already hastily put on his shoes and grabbed whatever weapons were within his reach, making his way towards the elevator in time to both see and hear that it had already descended.

A string of profanities spilled from his lips in a low tone as he ran towards the elevator, hitting the button repeatedly as if that would help bring it back up faster. As soon as it was back up he got inside and hit the button to close the doors whilst an exasperated sigh escaped his lips at the mere thought of Clary outside all alone. He knew she was capable of defending herself, but that didn't stop him from feeling the need to put himself in front of her no matter what danger they faced.

It took longer than he would have liked to exit the elevator and run out of the gates, and soon he was looking around in every direction for her. He knew she couldn't have gotten far, following his instincts he went in the direction that he felt was right, and just as he had lost hope he spotted the familiar shade of crimson hair in the distance. He made sure to keep himself hidden from her view since he wanted to see what the hell she was up to.

He felt rather bewildered that she would come to this sketchy area to meet with her brother, but his gut was telling him that something wasn't quite right. He kept to the shadows as he crept closer to her, watching with pure fascination showing on his features when she had begun to scrawl something on the wall that he couldn't make out what it was from where he was standing, but that didn't stop the gasp that emitted from his lips when a portal had suddenly appeared.

"Clary!" Her name came out of his mouth before he fully registered that he shouldn't have been yelling anything out here in the open, but it was too late.

Clary's POV

Clary's eyes widened in shock when she saw Jace walking towards her, making her shake her head in a disapproving way. "Jace, you weren't supposed to be here."

Jace stood right in front of her, setting his jaw in a stubborn stance before he spoke in a rough tone. "Yes, I got that hint when you left me that letter instead of talking to me face-to-face."

Clary bit down on her lip when she casted her gaze upon the portal, knowing she had to hurry and go through it before it vanishes. She averted her gaze back on Jace, trying to speak in the calmest tone. "I knew that if I told you in person that you would try to follow me to stop me, but clearly nothing stops Jace Wayland." She motioned her hand over his form for further emphasis.

Jace blinked in surprise, finding himself at a loss for words for once in his life. "What did you call me?"

Clary threw her hands up in an exasperated manner. "Are you deaf now?" She held up her finger to stop him when he was about to answer her. "Never mind don't even bother answering that. You need to go back to the institute. I will be back Monday morning on time for training." Clary slowly backed away, hoping that he would stay put, and let her leave without an argument.

Jace watched as she started to retreat from him and right when she was about to go through the portal he crossed the space between them so fast and grabbed onto her arm.

Clary always managed to gracefully go through a portal and land on her feet, but this time around she had tumbled hard with Jace onto the grass, and had the breath knocked out of her. "By the angel! Get off of me!" She retorted in an irritable manner as she felt stabbing pains where their body parts had hit one another.

Jace rolled off of Clary, attempting to not wince when their travel through the portal had ended with them tumbling with one another, and he assumed there would be bruises appearing on both of them soon. He hurriedly moved to stand up and held his hand down for Clary to take.

Clary shot him a glare before she swatted his hand away and got up off the ground on her own. She brushed herself off before she stalked off past him to head towards the entrance of the mansion.

"Clary, wait!" He cursed under his breath when she ignored him and he ran off to catch up to her whilst he looked around their surroundings and was surprised to find out where they were.

Clary looked over her shoulder in time to see Jace had caught up to her, making her elicit a sigh. "I assume you know where we are now... Welcome to the Morgernstern manor." She opened the door and motioned for him to enter first before she walked in and shut the door behind them. She walked a bit further into the house before she decided she might as well announce herself since her more discreet option was now ruined. "Jonathan!"

Jace was busy marveling over the entire mansion, and found himself oddly finding it almost familiar as if he'd been here already, which made him confused. That moment passed when he tensed up when Clary had full on yelled for her brother.

"Clary? What are you doing here?" Jonathan inquired as he had just come out of his father's office to find her in the entryway.

Clary turned around with a jovial grin settling upon her lips when she saw Jonathan. "Is that any way to greet your favorite sister after she traveled here to see her big brother?"

Jonathan opened up his arms with a coy smirk. "Come over here, and give your brother a hug."

Clary stifled the urge to squeal when she ran towards her brother and was immediately picked off her feet and spun around in a circle, making her laugh in a joyous way. Once she was set back down onto the ground she smiled up at him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too… And it seems you've brought a guest home with you?" Jonathan motioned towards her companion, placing a subtle smile up his face to be polite.

Clary didn't want to tell her brother that Jace had followed her through the portal so she shrugged her shoulder in a nonchalant manner. "I thought it would be nice to have someone to keep me company through the ride through the portal. That's all."

Jonathan chuckled as he reached out to ruffle his sister's hair, knowing she wasn't being truthful, but he wasn't about to say that in front of company. He simply nodded his head before meeting their company's gaze. "Welcome to our home. I'm sure my sister would be delighted to show you around whilst I finish up some things." He turned his gaze back onto Clary, smirking at her as he prodded her arm gently. "Be a nice hostess while I'm gone."

Clary scowled when her brother had ruffled her hair, making her try to tame it before she heard what he had to say to her and Jace.

"I apologize for the short notice. Our, Clary here wanted to surprise you." Jace said in a placid tone.

Jonathan kept a neutral expression when he heard Jace refer to Clary as 'ours', which surprisingly irked him the wrong way, but he chuckled anyway, and had to stop himself from shooting Jace a glare when he could only imagine what would happen with him around his precious, Clarissa. "Oh, well I can assure you that she did indeed surprise me. Now if you both will excuse me." He waved in a dismissive manner before he walked off towards the office.

Clary waited until her brother was out of earshot before she beckoned Jace to follow her as she went on and showed him the areas of the house that she seemed fit to let him see before they stopped outside a bedroom door on the second story of the manor. "This will be your room. Mine is right around the corner, and Jonathan's is at the very far end of the hallway." She opened the door and stepped through it to check to make sure it was fully stocked with things he would need.

Jace gave her a curt nod and followed her into the room, and looked around the massive area, noticing that it was neat, and had a bathroom joined to it as well, but he couldn't help but ponder over the look that had flashed over Jonathan's face and mirrored in his eyes when he had mentioned Clary's mere name. He shook his head to clear his mind to give his attention back to Clary, and that's when he finally noticed just what she was wearing. His golden hues traveled up and down her entire form, taking in the deep colored emerald dress she had chosen to wear that brought out her verdant hues even more than possible, her porcelain skin that was visible in various places, and how the boots she wore accented her toned legs.

Clary turned to look at him, noticing that he was looking at her as if she were the most valuable thing in the room, which made her almost blush, but instead she cleared her throat to get him to stop gawking over her. "I know you don't have any clothes, so I can get you some spare clothes we have around here in case we have guests or maybe you can borrow something from Jonathan. You both are about the same size." Her verdant hues traveled along his entire form almost on their own accord as she noticed that it was true that they were about the same size, but Jace seemed to her to be a tiny bit more muscular or that's what she assumed he would look like but she couldn't be sure unless he removed his… She flushed a shade of crimson when that thought flashed in her mind along with the sly smirk he gave her when now it was her gawking over him, making her try to shield her face with her hair.

Jace laughed when he noticed she was blushing when he realized that she was practically drooling over him. He strutted over towards her slowly as a devious smirk curved his lips. "Are you alright there? It's been said that my alluring looks could be too much for women to handle at times." He said teasingly before he reached out to brush her hair aside to see her face.

Clary almost blushed furthermore when he was walking towards her until she heard his words, making her scoff and take a step back after he brushed her hair aside. "Oh, please. You're not all that attractive as you think you are. I'm surprised you even fit in the room with that huge ego of yours."

Jace laughed once again when he heard what she said about him, making him shrug in a casual way. "I don't expect you to acknowledge my rather breathtaking appearance right this second, but one day you won't be able to handle it, and soon I'll have to most likely pry you off of me."

She found herself full on in a laughing fit and had to wipe her tears away before she sat on the edge of the bed, and looked up at him, trying to calm herself down. "That was the funniest thing I've heard you say by far."

Jace crossed his arms over his chest, trying to keep a blank expression, but he found it enjoyable at how easily they could tease each other, and how comfortable they seemed around one another. "Well if I'm to be the center of this particular joke then it's fine by me because I get to hear that lovely laugh of yours." He said in an almost amorous tone before taking a seat beside her.

Clary found herself leaning towards him, peering up at him through her lashes as she relayed his words in her mind, finding that it was actually a sort of sweet thing he had said. And just as he seemed to catch on to what was going to happen in this moment when they locked gazes, he had started to lean down to meet his lips against hers, but the sound of her brother's voice had them moving away from each other abruptly.

Seriously, Jonathan? It's as if he knew just when to interrupt them. Clary refrained from rolling her eyes and instead took hold of Jace's hand, not noticing the look he gave her when their skin touched as she led them out of the room. "I'll be right down, Jonathan!" Clary announced before suddenly she had to look over at Jace when he had laced their fingers together, making her stomach flutter ever so slightly. This weekend seemed to have gotten way more interesting than Clary would have ever imagined it to be.


	6. Midnight Stroll

Clary kept her fingers interlocked with Jace's as they walked alongside one another down the stairs then she proceeded to take him to the kitchen where she assumed her brother would be, and to her own amusement she was correct.

Jonathan glanced over towards the doorway when he both heard and saw movement from his peripheral vision, immediately catching the gaze of his sister, but not before he noticed that she seemed to be holding hands with Jace. His protective nature flared up within him, causing him to inwardly coax himself to stay in control, and instead use the mannerisms his father had taught him. With a slight smirk upon his lips he pushed himself off from the counter he was leaning on to walk over towards Clary. "You look quite lovely tonight. I'm sorry that our evening didn't go as planned. I hope you could forgive me?" He reached out to pull a strand of her hair gently then released it, watching as it wound back up into a loose curl.

Clary released Jace's hand as discreetly as she could before she brought her hand up to tap her index finger against her chin, feigning that she was thinking his question over. "I don't know, Jonathan... I guess it depends on how you go about making it up to me." She bite her cheek to not laugh and break her composure.

Meanwhile Jace wasn't sure how to feel when Clary had released his hand from her hold as if she were embarrassed to show any type of affection towards him in front of people, and how he was almost forgotten by her as soon as Jonathan had shown up. Which made him dislike him just a little more, but he kept quiet for Clary's sake and followed her lead since it wasn't like they were exclusive or anything. Soon… He thought to himself.

It didn't go unnoticed by Jonathan that Jace seemed to be slightly irritated since he figured he was used to being the center of attention, which only made it more enjoyable for him to mess with Jace. He reached out to caress Clary's cheek, resisting the urge to chuckle when she so easily blushed. "Ah, well, you know I'd do about anything for my darling sister. What do you want?"

Clary's eyes sparkled with excitement as an astute smile graced her lips. "How about going to my favorite restaurant?"

Jonathan's mouth quirked up into a smirk as he nodded his head once in agreement, enjoying the fact that he could make his sister happy. "Alright, it's settled then. I'll go about getting us a table whilst you both freshen up."

Clary willed herself not to squeal as she took hold of Jace's hand once again and led him upstairs to his assigned room. She peeked over at him when it finally dawned on her that he was being so silent, which was quite odd. "Are you alright?"

Jace pretended to be inspecting something on the sleeve of his jacket before flicking his gaze to meet hers, shrugging his shoulder in a casual way. "Nope. I'm good. I was actually thinking about staying here while you guys go out."

Clary frowned when she heard what he said, making her inch closer to him and reach up to trace her fingers along his cheek. "I want you to go with us."

Jace's breathing spiked up just a bit when he felt her dainty fingers trailing along his cheek, almost allowing himself to lean into her touch, but instead he snorted as he arched his brow in an amused manner. "Really? I seemed to notice that you both nearly forgot I was even here. It was wrong for me to have come with you. I wasn't thinking clearly, and that's happened a lot lately since you've showed up."

Clary blinked in astonishment when she had to replay his words in her mind to make sure she was hearing him correctly. "Jace…" His name fell from her lips in a whisper as a wave of emotion hit her when he was giving her that look from earlier once again. Before she could stop herself she acted on instinct, pushing his door to his room open and pulled him inside it as she kicked the door shut behind them. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her to press her lips against his.

Jace was caught off guard by her rather impulsive actions, but that was forgotten as soon as her lips brushed against his, causing a low groan to emit from deep within his chest. His hands grasped her waist, pulling her flush against himself as he managed to part her lips whilst his tongue sought out for hers.

Clary threaded her fingers through his hair, stifling a moan when she felt him grip her waist tightly. She teasingly bit his lip before she allowed his tongue to continue to explore the confines of her mouth as she pressed herself against him as much as she could, gasping softly when she felt something hard press against her, and just as she was thinking about pushing him down onto the bed she heard Jonathan calling out to her once again. With a sigh she broke apart from Jace, trying to catch her breath as she straightened out her dress. "I swear he's the worst cock blocker ever." Clary muttered mostly to herself.

Jace chuckled when he heard what Clary had said, shaking his head as he too was trying to catch his breath. That single kiss had set him ablaze, and it left him craving for more, but he silently chided himself that this time he wanted to take things slow. She was too special, and deserved that. "I don't suppose you have a suit or something nice to wear lying around here?" Jace inquired as he looked over with a coy smirk.

Clary knew there was a slight flush still upon her cheeks, feeling her lips were faintly swollen and how she still felt the warmth his body had given her, making her get lost in the moment they just had before she was pulled out of her thoughts when he started to tell her something, making her purse her lips before she shrugged her shoulder, trying to fight back a smile under his stare. "I'll bring something back for you shortly. You better still be clothed when I return."

"I can't make any promises." Jace told her jokingly as he watched her saunter out of the room.

Not long after Clary found an outfit for Jace to wear and had given it to him before she had gone to her room to touch up on her makeup and put a tiny bit of perfume on, and changed into her favorite platform boots that she thought would be more comfortable before she exited her room and headed downstairs.

Her jaw nearly dropped when she saw Jace at the bottom of the stairs as if he were waiting for her. She couldn't help but notice the black button down shirt allowed her to see his muscular form along with the rest of his attire, consisting of the black slacks and his signature boots, making her nether regions almost ache with her sudden need, but what nearly had her ruining her perfectly new panties was the burning look in his gaze. She forced herself to finish walking down the steps, smiling warmly up at him when he held out his hand for her to take when she reached the final step. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Jace retorted in a rather rough tone when he had seen her walking down the stairs, not believing how her presence always knocked the wind out of him. She was too gorgeous, and seemed to be oblivious about how she affected him.

Their moment was cut short when Jonathan had met them downstairs and was dressed in a nice designer outfit that Clary had gifted him, making her even more happy. They each marked themselves with what they deemed fit for the night, and Clary had to make sure she used as many energy runes as possible since she was going to have to make two more portals tonight. She was grateful for her enhanced abilities that she had been given through the experiment that her father had done to her when Jocelyn was pregnant because now when she drew runes on herself and others she was able to make them stronger, but of course it came with a slight cost. She knew that tonight she was going to be exhausted, but it would be worth it to spend time with her now two favorite men in her life. She proceeded to make the portal for them in the area of the house that her father had her use so many times, and had taken hold of both Jace and Jonathan's hands as she pictured their destination and they immediately stepped through the portal.

This time around Clary was relieved to have landed on her feet along with both of her companions, letting go of Jonathan's hand as soon as she could before she pulled Jace along with her as her brother led the way. She was never more grateful for the fact of the thermis rune she had placed on herself when the streets of Prague were cold, and the brisk breeze was wafting around them as they walked to the restaurant.

Clary had watched with an amused expression when her brother was using his charming ways to make sure they got their usual table, stifling a laugh when the poor girl he was speaking to looked like she was about to faint. Even though he was her brother she wasn't blind to the fact that he was handsome, and she had suffered through many occasions where girls practically threw themselves at him. It was almost annoying, but tonight she would let it slide since he was using his suave ways to get them into one of her favorite restaurants.

Once Jonathan had gotten his way she and Jace followed him to their table and took a seat. Clary already knew what she wanted, so she looked at their list of drinks whilst Jace and Jonathan looked over the dinner menu. She peered up suddenly from the menu when someone had come to stand beside her, and was met with beryl hues, and a good looking waiter, making her almost gape at him before she remembered that she was trying to start something with Jace, so she needed to behave.

Jace had tensed just slightly beside Clary when he couldn't help but notice the look the waiter was giving her, making him place his hand against her thigh as if to stake his claim.

Clary nearly jumped in surprise when she felt the warmth of Jace's hand against her bare thigh, smiling in a prurient manner at him before she put in her order without sparing the waiter another glance, and instead placed her hand over Jace's, thankful that Jonathan wasn't sitting too close to them to see. She noticed almost immediately that her touch had made Jace relax, and they all were able to enjoy their meal, and to her surprise both guys had even started to warm up to one another and even had cracked some jokes. This made her feel a little hopeful that if she did start a relationship with Jace that her brother wouldn't make a big deal about it. She always had disliked that he was so protective. She had lost multiple relationships because of him, and had instead just settled with some meaningless hookups behind his back when she was sent on missions alone that her father had sent her on as some of her training lessons. Because c'mon even she had to give in to her needs.

Clary was now in the middle of eating her dessert when Jonathan had excused himself to go and settle the bill, leaving her alone with Jace. "Do you want a little bite?" Clary inquired as she held out a spoonful in his direction.

"I suppose I could try it." Jace said with a slight shrug before he allowed her to feed him the spoonful she had scooped up for him.

Clary's verdant hues shone with great fervor as she saw watched him savoring the sweet contents before she pulled the spoon away and set it down, only to reach out with her index finger to swipe away the whipped cream that was left upon his mouth. She brought her now coated finger to her lips and licked it clean, trying to not smirk when she heard his sharp intake of breath before his hand on her thigh had inched its way a little higher.

Jace had gasped lowly, not expecting her to do what she had done, but he wasn't going to lie that he was currently straining against his trousers. He hadn't noticed his hand had traveled up her thigh until he felt her shiver under his touch, which made his current predicament all the more unbearable, but thankfully Jonathan had decided to arrive just in time before Jace was so close to acting on his instinct to just ravish her on sight. He stood up from the table, holding his hand out for Clary to take, lacing their fingers together as they walked hand-in-hand together as they exited the restaurant and set off to where Clary was going make a portal for them.

Jonathan's POV

Jonathan had kept his distance as they walked along the streets, attempting to keep his anger masked whilst he couldn't help but see that his darling sister was currently being courted by this blond imbecile.

He didn't like this one bit, feeling something flare within him when he thought of this fool having his hands all over his innocent sister. In the past he had disposed of those 'boyfriends' his sister had with ease, and she had fits of rage when that occurred, but of course their father sided with Jonathan. This time was different. He could tell that his sister was very smitten with this one, so he would have to change his tactics. He couldn't bare the thought of sharing what was his.

Yes, mine. That caused something to stir within him at the mere thought that she was his. She had been since the first day they had met. Within the moment of meeting her, his claim on her was sealed. Anyone who dared to take her away from him had suffered through some rather atrocious scenarios.

A lecherous smirk curved his lips when he had already started to come up with some ideas about how to get his sister to question Jace's trust, motives, and a little something else that he would be up to soon.

He made sure he kept a blank expression once they had arrived at their destination, forcing a subtle smile upon his lips when his sister looked up at him before taking hold of his hand, and stepped through the portal all together.

Clary's POV

Clary had bid her brother goodnight when he had excused himself to finish one more task before bed, making her shake her head in disbelief that he wasn't tired of working. She knew that Jace was trailing behind her, making her slow her walking so he could come to walk beside her. She smiled in a radiant manner when he reached out to grab her hand, holding onto her gently as he walked her to her bedroom door. She peered around him to make sure Jonathan wasn't around before she leaned up on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring him down to brush her lips against his.

Jace wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against his chest as he returned her gentle and passionate kiss for a few moments before he pulled away, but decided to give her one last kiss but it was placed on her cheek before he grinned down at her when she pouted up at him when he started to release her from his hold. "Goodnight, Clary. Try to get some rest."

Clary tried to stop pouting when she watched Jace leave, but soon she was biting down on her lip when she now had a good look of his behind.

"I know you're checking me out, Clary." Jace said in an amused tone, flashing her a sly smirk before he vanished from her sight and went to his room.

Clary blushed a shade of crimson when she heard what he said, making her fumble with the doorknob of her door since she was now flustered.

After she was finished being embarrassed she had managed to have enough strength left in her to shower and finally change into her comfortable pajamas before she nearly collapsed into bed. She pulled the blankets over herself, trying to get warm since the air conditioning was always set so low at night since Jonathan claimed it was the only way he could sleep. She didn't mind since she always made sure to have her warmest blankets with her or if she got real desperate she would just cave and put a thermis rune on herself. Clary shut her eyes as a soft yawn emitted from her lips, and soon she was able to drift off into what she assumed would be a deep sleep.

Jace's POV

He was tossing and turning in bed, having trouble to will himself to sleep. He knew it had been a few hours now that he had been trying to sleep since he kept glancing at his phone to check the time. He needed to do something, and as if on cue, a mental image had flashed in his mind when he had his eyes closed. It was almost like he was witnessing a distant memory of this certain location, and for some reason he knew deep down that the place he was shown was here in Idris.

Without thinking it through he was already getting out of bed, and placed on his earlier outfit that he had worn when he first had come here before he silently made his way out of his room.

He made his way quietly towards Clary's room, opening the door carefully before he slipped inside and closed it behind him. He reached into his pocket to grab his witchlight stone, which immediately illuminated in his hand, allowing him to see Clary sleeping peacefully in her bed.

The corner of his mouth quirked up into a smile as he saw her crimson hair sprawled out against her pillow, and how her lips were pouted just slightly. Her mere presence was nearly too much for him to bear. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

With a calming breath to steady himself he walked towards the bed and spoke in a whisper. "Clary… Wake up, Clary." Then his brows furrowed when he noticed something wasn't right, making him grip her shoulders to gently shake her awake.

Clary's POV

Clary's fingers tugged against his hair as her back arched up off the bed whilst her eyes were pinched shut in response to the amount of pleasure she was receiving. "By the angel… Jace..." She said in a whine in response to his teasing, wanting him to go further. When it appeared that he wouldn't she pried her eyes open to attempt to see the person who was currently busy between her legs.

The person looked up from between her legs after they had been placing delicate kisses along her inner thighs, but instead of where a smirk would have been there was a frown upon his face. "Ouch. There's nothing worse than being called by the wrong name." A familiar voice spoke in a hushed tone.

A look of confusion passed along her features as she held herself up using her elbows to support her before she gasped aloud when she saw that it wasn't Jace with her. A look of horror crossed her features as she spoke in a distraught tone. "Jonathan!?"

She jumped awake immediately, and was about to scream when she saw someone looming over her, but there was a handed placed upon her mouth whilst she was being held down slightly. She blinked a few times to help her fully wake up before she realized who it was, making relief fill her entire body, but the mortification she had felt for having that lucid dream was still making her queasy. She couldn't believe that the dream version of her had reacted that way to her b... Nope, she couldn't even bring herself to say it in her head.

"I'm going to remove my hand now, so please don't scream. It's just me, okay?" Jace's golden hues examined her face to make sure she was okay since a short moment ago it seemed she was having a nightmare before he shook her awake.

Clary nodded her head in answer to his question, trying to calm herself down as he removed his hand, and before she could think through her actions she all but pounced on top of him.

Jace tensed up for just a brief second when she had thrown herself onto his lap before he wrapped his arms around her, rocking her gently back and forth. "Shh, you're okay now." He gently rubbed her back to soothe her furthermore. "It was just a bad dream."

A really disgusting/disturbing dream she said to herself as she snuggled against him, allowing him to help soothe her for a while before she pulled back to look at him. "Don't get me wrong… I'm glad you were here when I needed someone, but why exactly did you sneak into my room in the middle of the night?"

Jace almost flushed at how she phrased the current situation, which was entirely accurate. He cleared his throat, stilling his hands as he met her gaze with an almost sheepish grin. "Well, I couldn't sleep, and I was hoping you may have been up too, but once I saw how peaceful you looked, I couldn't bring myself to wake you. That was until I noticed you were having a bad dream… Do you want to talk about it?"

Clary's eyes widened in alarm when he asked if she wanted to discuss the dream that she was wishing she could forget and lock away, making her shake her head. "No, I don't want to talk about it." She reached up to brush her fingers along his face when she noticed he was looking at her with a worried expression. A hint of an amused smile played at her lips when she realized he still didn't fully answer her question. "So… What was the real reason you came in here?"

Jace shook his head as he stifled a laugh when he knew that she wouldn't give up until she got an answer. "Well, I was hoping you would be up for a midnight adventure with me. Just a quick stroll. What do you say?"

That was the last thing she expected him to say, but she was more than happy to go on along with this if it would make him happy. She suddenly perked up when a sudden thought popped up in her mind, making her grin. "Is this a date?" She titled her head to the side as she peered up into his golden hues, her heart hammering in her chest when she awaited his answer.

His eyes gleamed with excitement before he flashed her a charming smile and placed a kiss against the tip of her nose. "Yes, it's a date."

Clary had long forgotten about her earlier scare, and instead found herself so happy as she quickly gotten dressed after Jace excused himself to wait outside her door for her. She almost rolled her eyes, and said some witty comment, but even she had to admit it was rather adorable that he was being such a gentleman. And if she was one hundred percent honest with herself, it was really nice to be treated like a lady by a guy. Instead of just using one another solely for one purpose.

Within minutes after she had stepped out of her room the both of them had applied runes to keep themselves from being caught by her brother as they slipped out of the house. Clary was almost giddy as Jace kept hold of her hand as he led them a little ways past her home until they reached this hidden site that was in between her family manor and another manor that she didn't recognize.

She didn't have time to ask him questions about how he knew where he was taking them when all of the sudden she found herself led into what seemed like a forest and soon it opened up to what looked like a small personal lake that was hidden to everyone unless you were lucky to know where to find this place.

The area around them was beautifully lit by the moonlight, the water glistening under both the illumination of the moon and stars. It was breathtaking and calming with the running water flowing in the background. She had taken a seat against the huge boulder next to Jace, smiling as he wrapped his arm around her to allow her to snuggle against him and bask in his warmth. "This is so pretty. How did you know about this place? I've never seen it before, and I've lived here for so long now." She peered up at him through her lashes, watching at how relaxed and at peace he seemed to appear.

Jace looked down at her when she pulled him out of his thoughts. He had been wondering the same thing. It was weird how now being back in Idris with her at the Morgenstern manor, he had started to remember some things that came to him in flashes. It nearly caused him to panic when he was alone in his bedroom, but as soon as she was in his presence he felt calm. "I don't know. This place just popped up in my head tonight, and I had the urge to come and see if it was real or just my imagination. It was like I've been here before, but I don't remember when."

Clary listened to what he had to say, trying her best not to judge him even though what he was saying sounded crazy. She placed her hand against his face when it looked like he was starting to get worried that he freaked her out. She smiled faintly up at him, speaking in a gentle tone. "It's okay, Jace. Maybe you're remembering something from your childhood, and being back here brought it back up. That would make sense."

Jace simply nodded as he heard her words, but he was still trying to figure things out on the inside. It was bugging him that he was missing bits and pieces of a things while he was here. He found his eyes closing on their own accord as he leaned into her touch before placing a kiss against the palm of her hand.

Clary pulled her hand back, but shifted against him to rest her head onto his chest as she curled against him and looked around their surroundings. Her fingers itching to grab her sketchbook to draw this view, but instead she traced a finger against his chest in an absent-minded manner. "This date was unexpected, but I'm glad you brought me here. It's actually really beautiful here."

Jace shivered slightly when he felt her finger tracing against his chest before he looked down at her, smiling like an idiot because she was making him so happy right now. She didn't think he was crazy. "I don't know if I'd call it beautiful. The only true beautiful one that I see here is you." He leaned down to press a kiss on the top of her head.

Clary felt her cheeks burn, feeling at a loss for words when he was being so sweet to her.

"Clary?" Jace said in a hushed tone, rubbing his hand up and down her arm gently as he awaited her reply.

"Yes?" Clary said in a sheepish manner, wondering just what he was going to tell her.

Jace cleared his throat, hoping he wouldn't stammer over his next words that came out in a mere whisper. "Would you like to take the next step, and be my one and only lady in my life?" He felt his cheeks flush just a tiny bit, hating that he let himself be so vulnerable in this moment.

Clary almost gasped when she heard what he had asked, making her pull away from his hold to look at him in awe whilst her heart was fluttering within her chest.

Jace had to stop himself from fidgeting when she hadn't replied to him, making him feel as if he shouldn't have been so forward so soon. "If that's not what you—"

Clary stopped him mid-sentence by pressing her lips against his whilst she moved to straddle his lap, and wrap her arms around his neck.

Jace smiled against her lips when she silently told him the answer he desperately wanted to know. "I take that as a yes?" He mumbled against her lips.

A laugh elicited from her lips before she began to trail kisses against his jawline until she reached his neck and teasingly bit down at his pulse, inwardly smirking in a wicked manner when she heard him choke back a groan. "Yes, I'll be your girlfriend, Jace. Now shush and enjoy this moment with me."

Jace didn't bother to reply to her, and eagerly continued on with what they were doing.

They stayed hidden in their now secret spot for a while longer before they both snuck back inside the manor, and went their separate ways.

 ** _I hope this chapter was as enjoyable as the other chapters so far, and I hope you stay along for the ride. I'm slowly building up towards the main event, and I promise it'll be worth the stay. If anyone has any requests for a future scene, I'd be more than happy to see if I can incorporate it into a future chapter. I also want to thank those who have left comments. They don't go unnoticed, and I appreciate every feedback I get._**


	7. Misunderstanding

Clary could hardly contain her jubilant emotions when she had awoken the next morning after having such a memorable night with Jace. She had gotten up and went about her morning routine before she exited her room and headed into the kitchen, humming along to a song as she did so.

She settled upon making herself a quick protein shake, drinking it on her way towards the training room. She knew that she couldn't miss a training session since her graduation was so close and she couldn't afford to mess up. After she finished her protein shake she hooked up her phone to the speaker, allowing herself to relax to the soothing lilt of the current melody being played whilst she began her stretches.

Not long after she had completed her stretches had her senses picked up on the fact that she was no longer alone in the room. She stayed in her tranquil state as to not show the person that they had already blown their cover, and within a moment the person had made their move as she had anticipated. She dodged to her right upon hearing the slightest noise of their movements coming from the opposite direction since she had been keeping all of her senses on high alert before she spun on her heel to face her opponent and immediately got into a fighting stance.

A mirthful grin settled upon her lips when she saw it was Jace who had tried to sneak up on her. She had been expecting it to have been Jonathan instead. She tsked at him. "Did you really think that you could sneak up on me? I expected more from you." A hint of amusement was laced in her words as she held his golden gaze.

Jace hadn't been shocked that she had been able to dodge his effort to attack her from behind since he had heard the stories of how well she had been trained, but he figured it couldn't hurt to try and see if all the talk of her had been true. He wasn't disappointed at all. An impish smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth in response to her words. He shrugged his shoulder before moving onto the mat to face her whilst getting himself in the same fighting stance. "I think you just got lucky. Now how about we see if all of those rumors about your impeccable fighting abilities are actually true?"

"Bring it on blondie." She mused aloud as she had wanted to provoke him to make the first move.

Jace snorted at her choice of insult. "I've heard that one before. Doesn't faze me." He replied silkily before he lunged towards her.

Clary deflected each of his attempts to land a hit on her, summoning up her extensive training as she tuned everything else out and gave into her natural instincts to help guide her as she had begun to gain the upper-hand. She had managed to land multiple blows onto him, using her both her height and quickness to her advantage.

Jace grunted lowly when one of her hits had been given with such force which he expected he would be having a bruise there soon. As he was keeping on with their sparring he was studying her movements so closely, and when he saw what she was about to do, he managed to maneuver himself to be able to take her down and had her flat against the mat, using his weight to keep her in place whilst a smug grin was plastered onto his face. "One point for—"

Clary didn't get to finish listening to what he had been about to say. Silent rage was filling her entire form when he had managed to tackle her onto the ground. The only person who bested her was Jonathan, but that was expected since he was much stronger and faster than her. Her ego had been effected when now she would have to come to terms with knowing that it was now two people who were able to bring her down. She was not about to go down without a fight, and with that thought she had managed to squirm out of his hold, raising her knee up in a swift movement, making contact with her target before she wrapped her legs around his waist, rolling them over so she was now holding him in place. "I'm sorry what were you about to say?" She said in a slightly winded tone but her words had carried a playful lilt to them.

Jace's eyes narrowed into slits as he tried to seem unaffected by her latest blow she had delivered to him. He wasn't about to voice aloud about how much that had hurt him, but he also couldn't help but notice that a sudden flare of arousal had overcome him with how much she had resembled an avenging angel just a moment ago. His lips curved into an amused smile as he didn't bother to fight against her hold. "I believe I had spoken too soon. It seems that the rumors were true."

Clary smiled wickedly down at him as she loosened her hold on him to run her hands down his chest whilst she held his gaze. "Oh, I don't need to be reminded at how amazing I am… But I have to admit that you are nearly as good as me. I guess that's another bonus to add to the ever growing list of my boyfriend's amazing qualities." She retorted playfully as she wriggled against him to get more comfortable.

Jace nearly groaned when her subtle movement had caused her to brush herself against him. Before he knew what he was doing he had already rolled them over so now he hovered above her. His golden hues skimmed along her now rosy complexion that was slightly covered with a sheen of sweat that now mixed with her sweet scent, and just made her even more desirable. His gaze lingered upon her lips, and just as he was about to kiss her there was a sound of someone clearing their throat from behind them, making them both look towards the doorway where Jonathan was standing with a look of disapproval upon his face.

"Please refrain from defiling my sister right before my very eyes, Wayland." Jonathan crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe, attempting to keep calm when all he wanted to do was grab Jace and throw him across the room after catching him plastered all over his little sister.

Clary rolled her eyes in annoyance as she untangled herself from Jace to stand up, facing Jonathan as she tried to mask her emotions to not let him see how much it bothered her that she hadn't heard his arrival, and the fact that he also had interrupted a moment between herself and Jace. "Oh, calm down, Jonathan. We were only sparring up until you showed up with your grumpy self." Her gaze left his to skim along his current attire, making her tilt her head to the side as a coy smile curved her lips. "Did you just come back from somewhere?"

Jace had gotten up from the floor, keeping his distance from Clary as he watched her interaction with Jonathan, which he found amusing. She was such a little thing, but she could be such a spitfire when she wanted to be one. It was one of the many things he was growing to like about her.

A hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of Jonathan's mouth in response to Clary's words. "You win sister. I will keep what I was doing earlier a secret, and we can pretend that I didn't just walk in on something I rather would not want to happen under this roof. Keep your hands to yourself if you can." His last words came out with a threatening lilt as his gaze flicked towards Jace before he turned to leave the room.

"I can't promise that. Your sister can't keep her hands off of—" He was stopped mid-word when Clary punched his arm, making him chuckle before he reached out to ruffle her hair, which he learned was a bad idea since she shot a deathly glare in his direction.

Clary was holding her breath when she heard what Jace was about to say and before she knew what she was doing she had already punched his arm to silence him, not noticing that Jonathan had chosen to ignore the comment and leave them alone. She was about to tell Jace something when all of the sudden he reached out to ruffle her hair, making her gasp aloud as she shot him a glare. "You did not just do that!" She was trying not to laugh when she noticed that he was mildly worried at what she was about to do. She made sure to not give away anything as she lunged forward to pounce on him.

Jace braced himself for her sudden attack, but what he didn't expect was for her to merely jump onto his back, making him laugh as he held her in place. "Did you think this through or was this always your plan?"

Clary elicited a melodic laugh as she held onto him as tightly as she could. "Oh, I thought it through very well. Now giddy up! I'm in need for some breakfast."

"Alright, don't get your panties in a twist. Now let's go feed my girlfriend before she kills me because she is hangry." Jace said jokingly before he suddenly laughed whilst shaking his head in disbelief when she had smacked his ass and told him to hurry up. He set her down onto the counter as soon as they had gotten into the kitchen, watching as her eyes sparkled with excitement. He glanced around to make sure that Jonathan wasn't around before he leaned in to brush his lips against hers.

Clary returned his gentle kiss, shifting closer to press herself against him, allowing this moment to last just a moment longer then she pulled back to smile in an impeccant manner before she trailed her fingers along his chest. "Aren't you supposed to be making me breakfast?"

Jace refrained from laughing when he heard the playful lilt in her words. He took a step away from her and bowed in front of her. "I shall do whatever my lady asks of me." He retorted in a suave tone, flashing her a wink before he turned his back on her to walk over towards the fridge, opening it to see the contents in it.

Clary elicited a giggle in response to his display, but that wink he gave her nearly had her melting at his feet. She forgot how charming he could be. She was pulled from her thoughts when she noticed that he had been speaking to her. "What was the last thing that you said?"

Jace chuckled as he looked over his shoulder to spare her a glance before he turned his attention back to the fridge, seeing that his options were limited, and he didn't want to admit that he couldn't cook much. "I said if you wanted some eggs?"

She tried not to grimace when she heard his offer, and against her better judgement she found herself nodding as if he could see her. "Sure. That sounds good." She hopped down off the counter to walk over to him, trying to find something else to make so she could better stomach the eggs she was going to have to force herself to eat. "You can make the eggs, and I can make us some bacon and see if we have ingredients for pancakes. How does that sound?"

Jace tapped his finger against his chin, pretending to think over her offer whilst he fought back a smile. "I suppose that sounds like a fair deal."

Clary heard the amusement in his tone, making her laugh as she grabbed the bacon out of the fridge before she smacked his rump gently on her way towards the pantry.

They worked perfectly in unison as they each cooked what they had to, making jokes here and there in the midst of their chit chat before they finally sat down at the table to eat.

Clary had just cut up her pancakes and added some syrup to them when she heard someone walk into the kitchen, not bothering to look up as she spoke. "I set your plate in the microwave, Jon."

"How sweet of you." Jonathan retorted as he walked past the table, arching a brow when he noticed that she had one particular item of food on her plate. As if she felt his gaze she peered up at him, giving him the chance to smirk wickedly at her as he mouthed 'good luck', assuming that Jace must have cooked the eggs for her and now since she was so nice she was going to have to eat it. He turned away from her before he could see her response and went about retrieving his plate from the microwave before he walked over towards the table, taking a seat across from his sister.

Jace was too busy eating his food to notice the silent interaction between the two siblings, but he did peer up once when he noticed Clary hadn't eaten anything yet, making him arch a brow. "I was under the impression that you were hungry. Are you feeling okay?"

Clary forced a smile upon her lips, nodding her head once in answer. "I am. I was just waiting for Jon." She lied smoothly before she took a few bites of her pancakes and ate a piece of bacon.

Jonathan was trying his hardest not to laugh, but he also couldn't fight off the urge to tease his sister. "Do you want some ketchup or hot sauce for the eggs? I know how much you love to add something to them before you eat them." His eyes sparkled with amusement as he held her gaze whilst he had begun to eat his food.

Clary kicked her brother from underneath the table, trying not to glare at him as her smile grew. "You're absolutely right. Would you mind passing me the hot sauce please."

Jonathan kept a blank expression even though his leg was stinging from the kick he had just received, but he abided by her request and wordlessly passed the hot sauce towards her then went back to eating as he waited to see if she'd actually go through with it.

Jace was looking back and forth between Clary and Jonathan, noticing that he was clearly missing out on something. He cleared his throat as he watched Clary pouring the liquid onto her plate in an almost hesitant manner. "You could have told me that you didn't like eggs."

Clary almost froze when she heard what Jace said, making her shake her head as she flashed him a genuine grin, wanting nothing more than to make him happy and not hurt his feelings. "I do like them." She set the hot sauce down and before she could stop herself she had started to devour the eggs with such haste to get it over with then grabbed the last piece of bacon off of her plate and immediately ate it to mask the taste. But she didn't stop there. Her mannerisms went out the window when she went on to eat her pancakes in the same manner, not noticing the shocked looks of both men at the table with her until she could practically feel the burn from their gazes. "What? Do I have a hickey or something?" Her words came out muffled since she had a mouthful of food.

Jace shook his head in disbelief as he laughed. "I take it back. I underestimated how hungry you were. Next time I'll make sure to feed you before you end up choking on food with how fast you were attacking that plate." His words came out in a playful way before he finished what was left of his food and polished off his drink. He pushed away from the table, carrying his dishes over to the sink to proceed to wash them. "I'm going to shower and gather my stuff before we head out, Clary." He gave them both a slight wave before he exited the kitchen.

Jonathan recovered from his initial shock in time to bid Jace goodbye before his attention was back on Clary. "You must really care for this one if you actually had the guts to eat what he made you."

Clary made sure that Jace wasn't still within earshot before she turned to face Jonathan, rolling her eyes in an annoyed manner. "Oh, shush. I've witnessed you do far worse things just to please those groupies of yours." She snapped back at him before she gathered up her dishes and went about washing them as well.

"My groupies? I don't recall ever having those." He retorted as he rose up from his chair, trying not to laugh as he went to go stand beside her. He knew what she was referring to, but those girls hadn't meant anything to him. Just merely used to pass time until he finally met the one he was intended to be with. "You still didn't answer my question. Do you really care for him?"

An irritable sigh emitted from her lips as she was drying off her hands. "Yes, I do. And you better not try to sabotage this for me. He's actually a really nice guy, and he understands what I'm going through right now." She looked down at the ground, willing herself not to get teary eyed when the signs of her grieving were starting to rise back up again. She knew it was stupid to be so upset with what happened to her father since he wasn't the kindest man, but he was still her father nonetheless.

Jonathan frowned when he heard her voice break mid-sentence, making him push back the unfamiliar feeling that filled him when she had confirmed his suspicions. He instead focused on gently tilting her face back up to look at him whilst offering her a smile. "I promise that I won't do anything. I guess I should be happy that you have someone to talk to when you can't come talk to me about things. Now let me see that radiant smile of yours." He gently prodded the tip of her nose, trying not to laugh when she scrunched her nose up in an adorable manner.

Clary refrained from laughing as she swatted his hand away, smiling in a jovial manner as she felt relieved to know that he wasn't going to try and keep her from Jace. "Thank you, Jon. That means so much to me. Did I ever tell you that you're my favorite brother? Cause you really are."

Jonathan shook his head whilst chuckling. "I'm your only brother. Of course I'm going to have to be your favorite. You silly girl." He pulled her into a tight hug, trying to bask in her presence before he knew she was going to be away from him. He couldn't wait for her training to be done with so she could come back home to him, and he could finally bring her into the family business. He thought it was time already.

Some time later, Clary and Jace found themselves coming out of a portal just near their current destination. They held hands as Jace led the way towards the institute whilst they both examined their surroundings out of habit since they knew to never let their guards down. They also both knew that they were going to be in some deep trouble as soon as they entered the building, but it was worth it to have spent those two days together.

It wasn't until the doors of the elevator opened that they were immediately confronted with a situation.

"Well look who've decided to finally grace us with their presence." Someone noted in a dry tone.

 ** _I know this chapter wasn't much, but I hope you all enjoyed the Clace fluff. I promise things will pick up shortly._**


	8. A taste of jealousy

Jace's POV

"Well, hello to you too, Izzy." Jace kept hold of Clary's hand, and kept her slightly behind himself, wanting to shield her in case Izzy was going to unleash her wraith upon them both.

Isabelle crossed her arms over her chest, trying her hardest not to break her austere appearance when she caught sight of their conjoined hands, fighting back a squeal of delight that threatened to break her serious façade and instead a subtle smile was slightly tugging at the corner of her mouth as her gaze flitted up to meet Clary's. "Do you mind if I speak to Jace alone?"

Clary gave his hand a gentle squeeze before she released her hold on it, offering him a reassuring smile when she noticed that he was looking rather concerned over his sister's request for her. "It's okay, Jace. Come see me after." She leaned up to place a kiss against his cheek before she turned her attention back on Isabelle as she was starting to walk away from them. "I'm in dire need of some girl time, and I know just the way to make it up to you if you're up for a little fun." She murmured just low enough for Isabelle to hear, and was rewarded with a delighted laugh, making her immediately feel better since she thought Isabelle wasn't going to forgive her for leaving without telling her.

Jace arched a brow in a puzzled manner when both ladies had appeared to have had a silent exchange amongst one another. He waited until Clary was out of hearing range before he let out a sigh. "Alright, get on it with."

Isabelle tsked at him as she beckoned him to follow her off towards the kitchen then proceeded to take a seat at the table, waiting patiently as he went about taking a seat in front of her. "Both you, and Clary owe me big time. I made sure mom didn't suspect anything when she came home for a brief visit, and I disposed of the note that Clary had left as well. She assumes that you both were out on a mission." Isabelle titled her head to the side, her ebony hues narrowing into slits as she met his gaze. "And thanks for not warning us that you were going off to who knows where. What if something had happened to you? We wouldn't have been able to get a hold of you or Clary to even know if you were alright."

Jace refrained from sighing once again as he listened to her mini rant before he flashed her one of his signature smirks. "There was no need to worry about my safety, Izzy. I can take care of myself, but I appreciate you going out of your way to make sure that mom didn't find out. I don't think I could handle whatever lecture I was sure I was going to receive when I came back home." He reached out to pat her hand gently. It was as close to a loving gesture as he could manage, but he knew that it was enough for his sister because she smiled at him.

Isabelle toyed with her bracelet as she quirked a brow whilst a mischievous smile played at her lips, her ebony hues sparkling with amusement. "So… How long have you both been an item?"

Jace shrugged his shoulder in a nonchalant manner, trying to play this off as if it wasn't a big deal, but on the inside he was the happiest he has ever been for the longest time. "Just recently."

Isabelle smirked as she then went on to twirl a strand of her hair in an absent-minded manner. "I didn't think I would ever see the day that a girl would ever get you to settle down."

Jace's eyes widened slightly at how she worded what she had just said, making him clear his throat. "Whoa. Calm down, Izzy. There will be no wedding bells ringing as of now."

Isabelle scoffed as she continued to play with her hair. "Oh, please. I can already see the subtle change in you since she's been here. You've never paid too much attention to the past "girlfriends" you've had, but it's different with her. You might not see how you've changed, but I have. The new change suits you though. I guess what I'm saying is that… It makes me so happy that you finally have someone else other than family that is making you happy. So don't ruin it!" Her last words came out with a threatening lilt to them, but she was merely messing around with him.

~~

Jace had been left feeling a little confused as to what his sister could have meant by there being a little change in him. He didn't feel any different.

He pushed aside his thoughts as soon as he reached Clary's bedroom door, knocking on it in a tentative manner. "Clary? Can I come in?" He frowned slightly when there wasn't a response and against his better judgement he found himself opening her door slowly, peeking his head in and his gaze immediately fell on Clary's sleeping form.

He entered the room fully to close the distance between them, trying not to laugh at the fact that she fell asleep in what looked like an uncomfortable position. He carefully tugged what looked like a sketchbook out from under her hold along with her pencil, placing it against the nearby desk before he went on to remove her shoes, and just when he was about to cover her with a throw blanket she moved in her sleep whilst mumbling something under her breath. He didn't think anything of it as he went on to cover her up until he saw a look of distress upon her face, making him sit down on the edge of the bed before he began to shake her awake gently.

Clary's POV

Clary opened her eyes warily before she sat upright quickly when she saw she wasn't alone whilst trying to calm her breathing after her little scare in her dream. "Jace?" She murmured in a drowsy state.

Jace stifled the urge to laugh as he reached out to caress her cheek, thinking that she looked so cute right now. "Hey sleepyhead. I didn't mean to wake you, but you were having a bad dream. Are you alright now?"

Clary elicited a soft yawn, smiling as she leaned into his soothing touch. "No, it's okay. I must have just dozed off while I was drawing. I didn't realize that I was that tired." She tried not to grimace when he mentioned her bad dream. She wanted to forgot what she had just dreamt, so instead she turned her face to place a kiss against the palm of his hand. "I'm okay now. Thank you for waking me up when you did."

Jace shifted closer to pull her against him in a gentle way, resting his cheek against the top of her head as his hand rubbed up and down against her arm. "You should go back to sleep if you're still tired. I should have figured that you would've felt a little drained after you made us a portal earlier."

Clary pulled back to look at him, almost frowning when she knew that he would leave her so she could sleep, making her shake her head in defiance. "I want you to stay with me. Will you?"

Jace leaned down to place a gentle kiss against the corner of her mouth, trying to hide the slight flush that threatened to cover his face at the mere thought of inappropriate things that flowed through his mind if he decided to stay here with her. He wanted to take things slow with her, but if he stayed he didn't know if he could behave. " I don't know if that's a good idea."

Clary choked back a laugh as a look of amusement showed in her features when she heard the slight waver in his tone. "Are you worried that you won't be able to keep your hands off of me?" A hint of a prurient smirk curved her lips as she awaited his answer as that mere thought had enticed her.

Jace snorted in response to her words, trying to play it cool. "More like the other way around. I've seen the way you look at me."

Clary gasped as she placed a hand against her chest as she was going to feign her own innocence. "Are you insinuating that I gawk over you so much and that fact would make me pounce on you in the middle of the night to take advantage of you?"

Jace kept a blank expression as he shrugged in a casual manner, trying to fight back a laugh in response to her innocent act. "It could be a possibility. If you want to prove whether it's correct or wrong then I suppose I will stay with you tonight. That's if you're up to the little challenge?"

Clary kept her prurient smirk upon her lips as she held his gaze. "I'm down to play. I hope you're not too much of a sore loser when this is all over and it's you who has lost." She got up from the bed and sauntered over towards her dresser to grab her pajamas before she immediately headed over towards her bathroom, pausing in the doorway to look over at him. "I'm going to shower real quick, and when I'm done I better see you on that bed."

Jace was left feeling rather stunned before he chuckled softly at how playful she was being. "We will discuss what the winner receives when I'm back." He retorted to her just before she closed the bathroom door. He got up from the bed and exited the room to go next door to get ready for what was to come. "What have you gotten yourself into?" He mused aloud before he too went to take a shower, but with some much needed cold water.

Clary had just finished showering and went through her nightly routine before she opened the bathroom door and nearly stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Jace stepping into her room wearing nothing but his boxers.

Jace smirked slyly as he watched Clary check him out, knowing that his idea of coming in her room how he had was going to help him win this little game they were about to play. "Are you alright? You look as if you're about to faint."

Clary blinked in confusion before she heard what he had said, making her take a moment to compose herself before she rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I'm fine. I've seen way better in the past." She mumbled her last words in a teasing manner, knowing he would have heard her. She went on to placing her towel over the back of a chair to dry before she removed her hair band from her wrist to quickly place her hair in a neat bun. As she turned around to face Jace again she noticed that he was practically gawking over her, making her try to think back as to what she had decided to wear. She didn't think that there was anything wrong with her current attire until it dawned on her that she was wearing a white tank top with short shorts. That was what she normally wore except her skin had still been a little damp after her shower so her top may have become a tiny bit more transparent. She inwardly smirked to herself as she sauntered over towards Jace, purposely brushing against him as she went over towards her bed to pull back the blankets before she got into bed. "Make sure to shut off the light before you get into bed."

Jace was taken aback by her actions and words and quickly obliged by her request. He made sure that the door was closed before he shut the light off and padded off towards the bed. He proceeded to get under the covers, trying to get comfortable before he rested his hands behind his head, not trusting himself to not let his hands wander over her after he had just seen what she chose to wear to sleep in. "Goodnight, Clary, and good luck with keeping those dainty hands of yours to yourself." He murmured in a husky tone.

Clary elicited a subtle laugh when she noticed that he made sure to not let himself to get too close to her. She wasn't having that. She scooted closer to him to snuggle against his side before teasingly trailing a finger against his bare chest. "Oh, I'm not worried about myself... Goodnight, Jace." She managed to say sleepily as she was suddenly overcome with a yawning fit.

He froze in shock when he felt the heat of her body against himself before he relaxed as to not let her know how much her simple touch was affecting him. Instead he wordlessly pulled her closer to him, keeping his arm around her before he placed a gentle kiss against the top of her head. He shut his eyes to attempt to fall asleep.

And to both of their surprise they both drifted off to sleep a moment later in each other's embrace.

~~

A soft noise escaped her lips as she had started to wake up because she had started to feel so feverish during her sleep. It took her a moment to realize why that was until she opened her eyes and found herself peering up at Jace whom was sleeping so peacefully. She smiled as she noticed that this was the first time that he actually seemed so relaxed and without a trace of worry in his expression. She wanted nothing more than to reach out and caress his face, but what stopped her was when she realized that she was practically draped over him.

Some time during the night she had settled further against his chest whilst her leg was draped over his side. She knew she had to move as carefully as she could before he woke up and would point out to her that she had lost their little game. Just as she was thinking about moving apart from him, he had moved in his sleep, making her bite down on her lip to not make a sound as she gently started to remove her leg from his side until his hand grasped her thigh, making her gasp aloud as she met his now fervid gaze. "Good morning." She squeaked.

"Morning, Clary." His tone came out rather roughly as he slowly woke up a little more until he was smirking down at her when he realized what kind of position they were currently in. "I suppose that I won after all."

Clary pouted in a defeated manner. "Yes, you did. Now what do you want as your reward?" She inwardly prayed that he wouldn't be like Jonathan and make her do whatever he asked for days on end.

Jace pretended to ponder over what to ask for before he grinned. "I want a kiss."

Clary arched a perfectly shaped brow in a questioning manner. "A kiss? That's what you really want? You could have asked for anything you wanted and that's what you chose?"

Jace's grin widened as a mischievous glint shone in his golden hues since he was going to mess with her a bit. "I didn't say where I wanted the kiss to be…"

Clary made herself gasp and widened her eyes as she feigned innocence once again. "Jace… What kind of girl do you think I am… I would never do such a thing."

He raised his hands up in the air in a defenseless manner, fighting back a laugh. "Whoa. That's not what I meant… But if you insist on doing that. I guess I'll just have to sit back and relax to let you go about giving me that reward." His last words came out with a seductive lilt to them as he went upon even winking at her, thinking that she would be able to see that he was clearly joking.

Clary rolled her eyes in a playful manner before smacking his chest gently. "Tsk tsk. Don't even try to lie. I suppose a deal is a deal." She proceeded to push him onto his back before she straddled him and placed her hands onto his chest, wanting to just tease him furthermore.

Jace stilled from beneath her, hesitating briefly before he gripped her waist to hold her still. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going to kiss you." Clary was having too much fun with teasing him. She leaned down to place a gentle kiss against his lips before she started to trail kisses down along his jawline, trying to choke back a noise that threatened to spill from her lips when his fingers gripped her waist a little more tightly.

Jace was momentarily at a loss for words until he sprang upright in bed at the mere sound of the door slamming open, causing Clary to fall off of him and land beside him on the bed.

"By the angel! Don't you both know how to use locks!?" Isabelle covered her eyes with her hand and tried to block the mental image out of her mind. "Put some clothes on and meet us in the library." She shut the door behind her as she stormed down the hallway, shaking her head in disbelief as she went off to find Alec.

"Well duty calls!" Clary announced as she pecked his cheek before she crawled over him to get dressed, hoping he didn't see the faint blush that was still showing on her face from when Isabelle had walked in on them.

Jace smacked her ass gently when she crawled over him before he too got out of bed. "I'll see you in a bit."

Clary waved a dismissive hand at him before she went about picking out what she was going to wear today, waiting until the door closed before she got undressed. She chose to wear black skinny jeans, cropped band t-shirt, and boots.

After she was dressed she went onto going through with her bathroom routine before she put her hair into a high ponytail, leaving some loose strands of curls to help frame her face before she went about putting on a subtle makeup look.

Once she was satisfied with her look she opened the chest that rested near her bed to retrieve some weapons to bring with her then grabbed her stele off of her dresser. She placed some runes upon herself as best as she could, adding a finishing touch of a slight glamour to hide her marks from the eyes of the mundanes before she slipped on a cropped leather jacket and proceeded to exit her bedroom.

As she neared the entrance of the library she heard hushed voices coming from it, making her clear her throat as to allow the people inside to know that she was now present. She entered the room and was immediately under the stare of three individuals. "What are our choices today?" She said casually as she walked over towards the desk where Alec was perched against it.

Alec spared her a brief glance, silently wondering just what Jace saw in her before he pointed down to some locations that were written on a piece of paper. "My mother sent us some locations that she wanted us to have a look at. Do you want first pick?"

Clary tried to keep a blank expression when Alec out of all people was talking to her. Since she got here she noticed that he didn't really pay her any attention so of course she felt a little iffy about his current offer, but instead she shrugged and looked down at the multiple locations that were listed in neat handwriting. She immediately brightened up when one particular location had caught her attention. "I'll take this one." She pointed to the location she had chosen, sparing it one last glance to memorize it before she took out her phone and had begun to type up and send a message. She was too excited at the mere thought of getting a chance to meet up with her friend to overthink her next move when she was suddenly at Jace's side and proceeded to lean up on her tiptoes to peck his cheek gently. "I'll see you later." She didn't bother to wait for his reply when she felt her phone buzz in her hand, making her grin as she read the message as she all but ran out of the room, leaving Jace to answer some questions from his siblings.

~~

Not much time had passed after Clary had investigated the area she had chosen. She hadn't found anything strange about it or discovered any foul play there as it was rumored to have, but she promised herself to come check on it again later after her visit with Simon.

The mere mention of her best friend had her smiling as she was now walking over towards the front porch whilst texting him that she was outside. She was more than eager to see him because her dream she had of him last night had left her feeling worried about him. She knew deep down that he was okay, but what happened to him in her dream that had nearly given her a panic attack up until Jace had woken her up and managed to help her forget about what she had seen.

Not even a full minute had passed when she saw Simon running down the steps to meet her. She squealed when he had picked her up, making her wrap her arms around his neck and cling onto him as he spun her around. "Simon! I've missed you so much!"

Isabelle's POV

She was pretending to examine her already pristine-like nails as she spoke in a humorless tone. "Well that was interesting."

Alec was trying to hide a grimace when he had seen the loving display of affection just a moment ago. "Indeed it was. So, when were you going to tell us about you and the Morgenstern being an item?"

Jace crossed his arms over his chest, trying to seem unfazed by Clary's weird behavior as he was now under Alec's scrutiny. "Her name is Clary. And I don't see why I would have to say anything about it since you never tell us where you sneak off to go out at odd hours of the day. Don't even try to deny it."

Isabelle's eyes widened in shock when she heard what Jace said, making her prepare herself to get in the middle of them if it looked like the situation was going to get out of hand. She didn't understand why they were both so uptight today. "Whoa ladies. Settle down. It's far too early for this kind of hostility."

Both Alec and Jace turned to glare at her, making her sigh as she shook her head and stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "First off, you have no right to go after Alec like you just did, Jace. And then proceed on to take your frustrations out on him just because you got upset right after your girlfriend left." She held up a finger when it looked like they were going to interrupt her. "Secondly… You need to accept Clary already, Alec. She's going to be here for a while longer, and apparently more since our dear Jace is now involved with her. So suck it up, and stop with the groveling before Jace and I gang up on you, and pester you over the fact that you've been all secretive lately. Now are you both ready to deal with the real serious matter at the moment?"

Alec and Jace stayed silent as their sister had put them in their places, and they wordlessly went on to pick their locations that they were going to set off to check out.

Isabelle bid her goodbye to Alec, but stayed where she was currently standing when she saw Jace hesitating in the doorway, knowing he was contemplating over something, making her pinch the bridge of her nose in irritation. "Jace… Can you just tell me what's bothering you already before you give me a migraine."

Jace ran his fingers through his hair as he let out a frustrated sigh. "Are you up to see what Clary is up to? It's going to bother me until I know why she was too eager for the location she chose."

Isabelle knew this was a bad idea but of course her curiosity had won over, and she found herself smirking deviously at the thought of partaking in something that didn't end with her outfit possibly getting all messy. "Lead the way."

Jace's POV

It didn't take them too long to catch up to where Clary had been, and once she was finished with looking over the area she was supposed to they had begun to follow her as stealthily as they could manage.

Everything seemed all fine and dandy up until Clary was picked up off the ground by a tall… Well everyone was taller than her, but nonetheless a tall and strange looking guy, whom was now holding his woman in his arms, making Jace's jaw clench.

It wasn't until he felt someone gripping his arm harshly did he notice that he was already moving out from under their cover area, turning to look over to meet Isabelle's skeptical gaze. "Let go, Izzy. I'm just going to have a little talk with her real quick."

Isabelle rolled her eyes, clearly not buying what he was saying, which made her scoff. "Yeah, right. You look like you're about to go off and murder someone. I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation about why they seem to be so close to one a—" She stopped mid-word when she saw the guy place Clary down and proceeded to grab hold of her hand. "Uhh… I'm still hopeful that this is just all innocent."

Jace was nearly seething by this point. He had never in his life had been jealous. This was a new feeling for him, and he didn't like it one bit. "Oh, I'm going to find out what that so-called explanation is. Let's go, Izzy." He retorted in an almost venomous tone as they proceeded to stay hidden as they followed Clary and her companion.

Clary's POV

She kept hold of Simon's hand as they caught up on what each other had been up to since their last little visit with one another along their way to Java Jones.

Clary was so ecstatic to be able to spend time with Simon, and her current mission was the perfect excuse to get to surprise him with a visit.

It should have come as no surprise as he even had brought up the idea of visiting the comic book store since he had promised to get her one particular comic that she had been dying to read, which she gladly obliged to.

She allowed Simon to lead the way inside the café, letting go of his hand to momentarily go and find them a seat whilst he went to place their orders. She had just sat down when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw she got a text from Jace, which made her smile.

 **"Did you find anything interesting on your assignment? I hope you are arlight. I miss you." -J**

 **"No, I didn't find anything. It was a dead end, but I'm going to check the site again later. I miss you too. Can't wait to see you soon. :)" -C**

She had just replied when a mug was being placed in front of her, making her grin as she looked up to see Simon taking a seat beside her. "Thanks, Simon. You're the best!" She picked up the mug to carefully take a small sip of its contents before her gaze landed on the treat that Simon had also picked up. "Oh, yum! Is that the cranberry-pistachio biscotti?"

Simon chuckled in response to how excited she had gotten over the simplest things. "Yes, it is. I didn't get you one though. Sorry." He took a sip of his drink to hide his smile when he saw her pout over what he said.

"Simon Lewis… You better share that with me or else you're going to be dealing with one hangry friend." She tried to say in a threatening manner, but almost lost her composure when she saw the frantic look upon his features.

He quickly pushed the treat towards her almost too hastily upon hearing her words. "A hangry Fray is not one I want to see. You can have half of it."

Clary elicited a jovial laugh as she took a piece of the biscotti before plopping it into her mouth. "The taste of victory is so good." She said teasingly before she took another sip of her drink.

Time seemed to have flown by and before Clary knew it they were already entering the comic book store. She peered around the store as she took in the subtle changes in it whilst Simon was trailing behind her.

Luck seemed to be in her favor today since she was able to snag the last copy they had of the comic she had been wanting. She was skimming through it as they walked out of the store until Simon nudged her in time for her to step out of the way before she tripped over something, but that wasn't the only thing she noticed in that moment. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw both Jace and Isabelle just waiting casually beside a building that was a few doors down from where she had just been.

"What's wrong, Clary?" Simon asked in a worried tone as he stroked her arm to make her look at him.

Clary bit down on her lip as she spared Simon a glance whilst trying to decide on how to go about her next move. "Um… By any chance… Do you see the two people in front of us?"

Simon's eyes widened in shock momentarily as he thought she was referring to some kind of threat which made him start to move her behind him. "No, I don't. Where are they?"

Clary almost rolled her eyes and had to hold back a laugh when Simon out of all people was trying to protect her. She let out a sigh as she made sure her voice was loud enough for their guests to hear. "Can you both remove your glamour so I can introduce you to my friend."

Simon was looking at Clary as if she were insane until it dawned on him that she must be referring to her fellow companions from the institute. He kept quiet as he followed after Clary when she was apparently closing the distance between themselves and their current company.

Clary watched as both Jace and Isabelle had unveiled themselves for Simon to see them before she motioned for them to follow her to a more secure location. As soon as they were out of the view of the mundanes, Clary turned her attention directly onto Jace. "Were you following me the entire time or was this by coincidence?" She knew the truth already since there was no way they could have run into one another since the other locations weren't close to where she was, but she wanted to see how he would answer.

Jace merely shrugged as if unfazed by her question as he tried not to glare at the mundane standing beside her. "I followed you."

Clary crossed her arms over her chest as she arched a brow since she was clearly puzzled as to why he decided to follow her in the first place. "Why did you feel the need to follow me?"

Isabelle was feeling a little awkward at the moment so she turned her attention on the guy standing beside Clary, and to her shock she actually thought he was pretty cute… In a weird and geeky sort of way. When he caught her gaze she winked at him, and had to stop herself from laughing when she saw him flush a shade of scarlet.

"I just wanted to check on you to make sure you would be fine since you were acting all strange before you left. What I didn't expect was for you to be throwing yourself at this mundie." He motioned towards her so-called friend.

Clary felt a tinge of anger flare up in her in response to how Jace referred to Simon, making her place her hand against his arm. "His name is Simon. He's been my best friend for ages, and I wanted to surprise him today after my mission since I haven't been able to see him recently."

Simon winced slightly when he noticed that Clary was starting to get angry which caused her to grip his arm harshly, making him clear his throat as he turned his attention onto her. "I think I should let you deal with this more privately."

A frown was tugging at the corner of her mouth when she heard what Simon said, but she knew it was a good idea. She saw something flash along his features that she couldn't quite place, but she ignored the stares from the others as she gave him a brief hug before letting him go. "Message me when you get home please. Love you."

"I will. And I love you too." He stammered out before he leaned down to place a kiss against her cheek and all but rushed away to head home.

Isabelle shifted her weight onto her other foot before she too cleared her throat. "I'll let you guys have your moment." She waved at them before she left them, smiling to herself at the thought of keeping the mundie some company came into her mind.

Clary reluctantly met Jace's gaze after they were now left alone, and it wasn't until then that a moment of clarity hit her, making her smile in an amused manner. "Jace are you jealous?"

"What? No, I am not. Why would you even think that?" Jace unclenched his hands at his sides as he leaned his back against the building of the wall behind him.

Clary refrained from laughing when she saw through his façade, making her shake her head in disbelief. "I can't believe I didn't notice it sooner. You didn't have to act so rude to Simon. He's my best friend. That's it, Jace." As she spoke she broke the distance between themselves until she was merely inches away from him.

Jace eyes narrowed slightly as he watched her walk towards him whilst he listened to what she had to say. It should have eased his mind, and made him feel stupid for even being jealous because of that mundane, but it bothered him with the fact of how her "friend" was looking at her. His thoughts were pushed aside when she was within arms reach, and before he knew what he was doing he had already pulled her against him. His lips sought out for hers, capturing her in a fervid kiss.

Clary didn't have time to even gasp aloud when she was suddenly in his embrace before his lips crashed down against hers. A soft noise emitted from her lips as she returned his fervid kiss whilst her fingers had found their way into his hair.

His hands tightened against her waist when he heard the sound that escaped her lips, making him teasingly bite down on her lower lip before he brazenly spun her around so now she was pressed against the wall.

Clary nearly moaned at the feel of him biting down on her lip in a harsh manner before her back was suddenly pressed against the wall. She tugged on his hair in a playful manner as he proceeded to lift her off the ground, making her wrap her legs around his waist, not caring with who could possibly see them. In this moment it was just them, and that's all she cared about.

Jace's fingers of one hand trailed against the exposed skin of her stomach before he reluctantly broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. "We need to stop." He retorted in a husky manner.

Clary broke out in goosebumps when she felt his fingers caress her bare skin before he broke their kiss, giving her time to try and catch her breath. "I'm sorry." She mumbled in a hushed tone.

He gently placed her back down onto her feet, brushing his fingers against her cheek as his gaze skimmed along her features. "Why are you apologizing? I should be the one doing that." He gently placed a kiss against her lips to silence her when she was about to speak. He knew he had to hurry to say what he had to before he wouldn't be able to muster up the courage to do so later. "I'm sorry for acting how I did earlier. I should have known that you out of all people are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. I can't think properly as I should when I'm around you. It's new to me to feel certain ways because before you came along I only cared about my family and my duty as a shadowhunter, but once you came into my life it's as if you awoken some part of me that I thought I lost so long ago after I lost both of my parents." He leaned down to bury his face against her neck as he rested both of hands flat against the wall on either side of her to not allow her to see the emotions that were clearly being shown in his features when he had poured his feelings out to her so bluntly.

Clary blinked in surprise when she heard every word he had said, making her feel the urge to comfort him, and keep him from harm when he was allowing himself to be left so vulnerable. She gently pulled him away from her to meet his gaze. "I completely understand what you're feeling as well. I didn't care about anything except what was taught to me, but meeting you opened my eyes to possibilities that I didn't know that were right in front of me. You make me want things that I never thought I wanted, and I'm forever grateful for that. Can we get past this? I promise that next time when I decide to go off on another little adventure that I'll bring you along with me."

Jace found himself bewildered by her confession to him. It made him adore her even more. He couldn't help but smirk at the mere mention of another possible adventure, making his golden hues shine with excitement. "What do you have in mind for the next adventure for us to do together?"

Clary shrugged in a nonchalant manner as she fought back a grin. "Oh, nothing special. Just to introduce you to my mom. It's no big deal… I think it's actually time for us to head back home don't you think?" She nearly laughed when she saw the look of shock upon his features before she grabbed hold of his hand and started to lead him back towards the institute with her.

"Wait… Did you just say what I think you just did?" Jace retorted almost in a distraught tone.

Now Clary had to laugh at how he sounded, making her give his hand a gentle squeeze as she was about to tease him furthermore. "There's a slight possibility that you might leave the encounter with a minor injury, but that's nothing a iratze can't fix up. You'll be fine."

"Clary…" He stammered her name out as he looked over at her, trying to see if she was being serious as they continued their walk back to the institute.

 ** _Don't forget to leave a comment. I hope this chapter was enjoyable. The next chapter will start to unveil some interesting things that are in the works. I'm sure by now you can guess what is going to happen throughout this story, and I hope I give this story justice when it's time to end it. An update shall be posted soon._**


	9. The gift

"Can you please relax already before you make me get anxious as well." Clary murmured in an exasperated tone as they walked hand-in-hand with one another.

Jace let out a subtle sigh, giving her hand a gentle squeeze to reassure her that he was going to be fine. "You can't blame me for being nervous. Especially after finding out a little about your mom's past."

Clary refrained from laughing as she recalled his reaction when she disclosed some information about her mom to him. Even she had to admit that it would be stupid for him to not be slightly frightened by her. She was a total badass back in her younger days. She flashed him an amorous smile as she stopped them just outside the apartment building. "Do you trust me?"

A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he nodded in answer to her question. "Of course I do."

Clary smiled furthermore before she leaned up to place a kiss against the corner of his mouth. "Good. Now let's go inside so I can show off my amazing boyfriend." She gently squeezed his hand before she led them inside the building and directly up the stairs.

She reached into her pocket to retrieve the house key once they made it to the apartment and went about opening the door to poke her head inside. "Mom!" She announced out loud before tugging Jace inside the house with her.

"I'm in the kitchen." Jocelyn called back to her daughter.

"Do you need any help?" Clary inquired as she gave Jace a reassuring grin before she brought him along with her to the kitchen. She wasn't surprised to see her mom was in her normal attire with her hair up in a bun which was being held in place by a pencil. It comforted her to know that her mom stayed the same as she always had been. She pulled herself out of her own thoughts, knowing it was time to stay focused, and cleared her throat to grab her attention. "I want you to meet a special someone."

Jocelyn turned around with a smile, and tried not to seem so surprised when she saw a handsome young man standing beside her daughter. She almost arched a brow when she saw that they were holding hands, but she remained neutral as she held out a hand for him to shake. "Why hello there. My name is Jocelyn. And you are?"

Jace shook her hand gently whilst trying not to gape at her when he immediately saw the resemblance between herself and Clary. "Jace Wayland. It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about you."

"Oh, really? I hope you've only heard good things." Jocelyn said in an amused tone before she sent them off to get seated in the dining room whilst she finished plating the food she just prepared for them. It also gave her a moment to collect her thoughts when she found Jace's appearance quite familiar, but he didn't exactly resemble Michael Wayland or his mother. She couldn't pinpoint the person who he resembled more than them at the moment, making her shrug that thought aside as she went about bringing out the various dishes of food to the table.

A few short minutes had passed when now all three of them had begun to eat the breakfast that Jocelyn had prepared, and Clary had to try not to blush from embarrassment when her mom had started to question Jace so much.

She was just relieved that they seemed to be getting along just nicely, which made Clary extremely happy. She didn't know what she would do if her mom didn't approve of Jace. And just as Clary was finishing up her second helping of food she looked up at her mom when she cleared her throat.

"So, how long have you both been together now?" Jocelyn inquired to Jace as she gave him a moment to answer by taking her time with drinking her cup of tea.

Jace tried not to squirm in his seat when this particular conversation had finally come. It wasn't as nerve wrecking when she had asked easy questions about himself, but this particular question had made his palms get sweaty, but there was no way that he was going to allow her to see how nervous he had just gotten. Instead he forced himself to flash a charming smirk as he spoke in a earnest manner. "We've just recently made our relationship official."

Clary was watching them interact as she was busy eating the last few pieces of her waffles along with fruit. She was curious to hear where this conversation was going, but also nervous at the same time.

Jocelyn nodded her head as she set her cup down onto the table. "I just hope you both aren't moving too fast." She gave them both a knowing look as to let them know what she was getting at without her having to voice it aloud.

Clary choked on a piece of fruit and started to have a coughing fit. She felt someone patting her back frantically, which made her wave them off as she took a few sips of her juice before turning to look at her mom. "Oh my gosh, mom! Please not that talk!" She nearly whined as she felt her cheeks flush a shade of crimson.

Jace felt slightly better after he knew Clary was okay after her little scare she gave him, but that feeling passed and turned to uneasiness when he realized what Jocelyn was hinting at. He almost grimaced in response to that. He never had to meet any of his past flings parents, which he was content with, but right now he wanted to make sure that Jocelyn knew that her daughter was in good hands. "I can assure you that we are taking things very slow at the moment. Although, I have to admit that trying to court your daughter is a bit of struggle since she's already proven that she surpasses me when it comes to our training. If I ever even think about doing something that displeases her, she will make sure to kick my butt in the process." He said his last words in a teasing manner in hopes of lightening the mood.

Jocelyn elicited a laugh as she shook her head from side to side and had to wipe tears from her eyes with how hard she had laughed. "Oh, I believe that very much. My daughter has proven that no one should mess with her. Even though her size may make people think that she couldn't hold her own ground."

Clary flushed again when her current company were bragging about her, but she couldn't help but laugh and agree with them.

The mood had lightened up instantaneously after that, and all seemed to be going well as they went on to exchange more stories with one another until Jace had gotten a call from Alec. Clary had bid him goodbye and promised to let him know when she would be heading back to the institute.

And now in the present she was busy with helping her mom clean up. She was in charge with drying and putting away dishes whilst her mom washed them.

"Jace seems like a real nice guy." Jocelyn said with approval in her tone.

Clary smiled in a jovial manner as she placed dishes in their spots in the cupboard. "He's not like other guys that I've come across, which is good. I'm very happy that you approve of him though. I was afraid that you wouldn't."

Jocelyn washed and dried the last dish and put it away before she frowned at her daughter. "Why would you think that I wouldn't approve of him?"

Clary shrugged her shoulder as she began to fidget with her fingers in an absent-minded manner. "Well he has a certain reputation that's circled around… But I'm glad to say that not everything that I've heard is true. He's actually the most kindest person I've ever met, and he understands what I'm going through right now. And he's helped me a lot." Clary peered up to look over her mom's features to judge her reaction, and was surprised to see that she was smiling, which made her blink in confusion. "Why are you staring at me like that and smiling so much?"

Jocelyn shook her head and laughed. "Oh, Clary… Of course you can't judge someone based off what you hear. I can see the way he looks at you, and how you both seem to gravitate towards one another. And to be honest… I haven't seen you this happy for quite some time, so I'm grateful that Jace has helped you so much since you've been in the care of the Lightwoods." Jocelyn closed the distance between them and gave Clary a tight hug before rubbing her back gently. "I know you're still hurting. It's going to get easier soon, and when you've finished your training you know that you are always welcome to come back here if you'd like."

Clary returned her mom's embrace, basking in her presence and was glad that she could have a moment like this with her since it had been so long that she has gotten to see her. It wasn't until she heard her last words that she pulled back to look up at her, arching a brow in a questioning manner. "What about Jonathan? I can't leave him alone in that big house."

Jocelyn refrained from showing any emotion at the mere mention of her estranged son for her daughter's sake. "He's a grown man now, and you are his little sister. You don't have to worry yourself about him, and it's not like you won't be able to visit him."

Clary bit her lip as she listened to her words, but ended up shaking her head in defiance. "I can't leave him alone. I know that one day we will part ways to start our own lives, but not right now. He needs me just as much as I need him. I'm sorry mom."

Jocelyn caressed her cheek as she smiled lovingly as to not let her see how she was a little hurt that Clary didn't want to come home. "Don't be sorry. He is your brother, and you're right that he needs you too. Just make sure that you don't always put him before yourself, alright?"

Clary nodded her head in agreement as she smiled in return. "I promise."

~~

Two weeks later

Clary had started her day as she normally would, but today after her training she was surprised to find a neatly wrapped gift on top of her bed.

She grinned as she eagerly walked over towards her bed, reaching out to grab the small box, and immediately ripped off the wrapping paper. She lifted the lid off the box, proceeding to remove the tissue paper that was within it and revealed a beautiful ring. She removed it from the box, noticing that there was a small note beneath it. She kept hold of the ring in one hand before she set the box down on the bed in order to read the note.

 **"Dearest sister, I was planning to gift you with this family heirloom on your graduation day, but of course I was too anxious to wait any longer. Father and I both had designed this ring especially for you. Keep it with you at all times. I love and miss you dearly. I hope to see you very soon."**

Clary choked back a sob as tears had begun to stream down her face. She was so touched that Jonathan had given her this gift. She wiped the tears from her face before she began to examine the ring, noticing that it had the signature "M" on it along with their family symbol embroidered onto it. Her ring was designed to be more feminine she noticed, and it was very lovely. She smiled as she slid the ring onto her finger before extending her hand out to examine how it looked on her.

~~

It was later in the evening now, and Clary had just finished patrolling with Jace and his siblings. She had left them to have some family time together at Taki's whilst she went to give her mom a quick visit since she had called her to tell her that she had made Clary's favorite dinner and dessert.

A cold breeze whipped past her as she walked along the sidewalk, making her adjust her scarf and button up her jacket as she continued down the last block that led to her old home.

Clary had just reached the building and had begun to march her way up the stairs as usual. It wasn't until she was almost to her mother's front door when Clary started to feel uneasy, making her retrieve her seraph blade from her weapons belt and proceeded to murmur its name aloud to ignite it, feeling a little better as she was now properly armed.

She nearly dropped her seraph blade when she saw the front door had suffered some damage, making her fight the urge to rush into the house. She took in a calming breath as she cleared her mind in order to allow all of her senses to be alert as she walked slowly into the house whilst verdant hues skimmed along the now destroyed area that used to be the living room.

"Mom?" She inquired aloud even though she knew it was a bad idea, and before she could even scold herself for making any noise she heard movement coming from beside her. She didn't hear an answer from her mom, but instead something suddenly dashed out of a nearby room and charged right at her at full speed.

Clary twirled the blade in her hand, keeping her gaze locked on the incoming threat as she called upon her training whilst trying to not look behind her when she heard a scuffling sound coming from there, assuming that it was the demon's companion that was about to attack her as well.

The ravener demon's elongated body moved noisily along the wooden floor, leaving a trail of slime along its way as it elicited repulsive sounds. Clary waited for just the right moment until she slashed its midsection, stepping aside before it's blood could splatter onto her. It nearly roared as it turned to face her again, allowing its sharpened teeth to become visible.

"Come on you idiot." Clary taunted it as she waited for it to charge at her once again. Her lips curved into a malignant smirk when it did just as she asked, making her ready herself for the killing blow. After she dispatched of this demon, watching with disgust as it vanished back to its realm she was turning to face the other one that was attempting to take her by surprise. She walked over the broken contents that were strewn all over the floor, hearing glass crunch under her boots as she crossed the room, feeling beyond angered with the mere thought of these creatures having harmed her mother.

It wasn't until she neared the other demon that she noticed a motionless body lying against the floor, making her freeze for just a moment when she realized it was her mother. "By the angel! Mom!" She yelled frantically and almost missed when the ravener demon struck out at her.

Clary fell onto the ground after tripping over something when she had hastily backed away from its attack, making her seraph blade slip from her hold and was now lying out of her reach. She cursed under her breath for her carelessness and quickly pulled out a dagger, drawing her arm back and flung it forward with such force, watching as it embedded into the demon's chest. She winced as she got up from the ground, feeling shards of glass that sliced at her palms from that action, but she put that pain aside as she bent to retrieve her seraph blade to behead the demon, not waiting to see it vanish as her gaze was solely on her mother.

She crouched down beside her, trying to shake her awake as she willed herself not to cry. She couldn't afford to be a hot mess right now because she knew that those types of demons usually traveled in hordes.

"Please wake up mom!" Clary shook her one last time before she started to stroke her cheek, and nearly gasped aloud when she saw her eyes flutter open, causing her to elicit a cry of relief.

"Clary?" Jocelyn inquired in a croak before she gave her a frantic look as she tried to sit up too quickly. "You need to leave now! It's not safe. I failed you so terribly. I'm so sorry."

"Mom, you need to stay still until I can look you over to make sure you are alright, and call Luke." Clary was beyond confused as to what her mother was talking about, but she put that aside and had begun to examine her mother's form. She only saw a few minor cuts and bruises, and was about to give her an iratze, but she was stopped by her. "Let me heal you!"

Jocelyn shook her head stubbornly as she grabbed ahold of her daughter's hands, willing her to meet her gaze. "Clarissa! Listen to me goddammit! You need to warn everyone that he's gotten hold of the mortal cup, and everyone needs to prepare themselves for the worst. And you need to be ready the most because he is going to come for you first."

Clary blinked in confusion, thinking that her mother had suffered from a head injury, but what surprised her the most was the mentioning of the mortal cup. She knew about it, but she was under the impression that it had been hidden for years, and had never been found. "Who are you talking about, and why are you mentioning the mortal cup?"

Jocelyn eyes shone with tears as she released hold of Clary's hands to caress her cheek. "Oh, my innocent little girl. I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you from your father, and brother. I'm going to make it right though. I promise. You just need to find somewhere safe."

Clary was beyond confused right now, and she felt a headache gradually creeping up on her. "Mom, you're not making any sense. Are you sure you didn't hit your head? What does this have to do with Dad and Jonathan?"

Jocelyn looked puzzled as she examined her daughter's facial expression, realizing that she must not know of what Valentine had been planning long before her children were born. "He really kept to his word, and didn't tell you… Clary, listen to me carefully. For no reason at all must you contact Jonathan. He's not who you think he is. He's going to burn this world to ground in order to cleanse it just like his father wanted to many years ago."

Clary shook her head as she pulled away from her mother. "No, you're lying. Jonathan would never do such a thing."

"Who do you think came here and attacked me? And most likely left someone to watch over the apartment in case you came by? I know you don't want to believe it, but it was him. He's too far gone for anyone to save him. I'm sorry, Clary, but I will do what I have to in order to protect you." Jocelyn retorted in a rushed manner as she desperately wanted Clary to believe her.

Clary was too shocked to even gasp aloud when she understood what her mother was hinting at doing. She rose up to her feet, sparing her mother one last glance as she narrowed her eyes at her as she spoke through clenched teeth. "Don't you dare threaten my brother ever again. You don't know who he is, and you never gave him the chance to prove to you that he grew up to be a fine gentleman. And no thanks to you since you abandoned him." She nearly spat her last words before she pulled out her cell phone and called Luke to tell him what had happened.

She ignored the cries from her mother as she exited the apartment and went on to keep watch outside until Luke had arrived with some of his pack members. She didn't bother to greet any of them and instead brushed past them all wordlessly whilst the darkened streets greeted her eagerly.

 ** _Now this is where my twist for this story goes a little off from the books that we love so dearly. So keep in mind that not everything will go strictly by the books, and made up things may be written in as well. And what I mean by that is that we may see a darker version of Clary amongst other things. Still not sure how I feel about Clonathan moments. Let me know in the comments if you'd like me to explore with that, and please Clace fans don't come at me. This is still a Clace story, but of course there will be ups and downs to that relationship that we all adore._**


	10. Rash decision

Simon's POV

He had just entered his house with a goofy smile upon his face since he had just gotten to spend some time with Isabelle. They had been secretly meeting with one another ever since they had met during her brother and Clary's little argument.

Of course that was a kind of an awkward first meeting, but she apparently was unfazed by it so he followed suit. She had taken him out to have fun that day after they had left the quarreling couple alone. And her idea of fun had him nearly seizing up with panic, but that was long forgotten when she had boldly kissed him out of nowhere. And let's just say his infatuation with her became even more unbearable after that.

This led to a few more meetings with each other, which he considered as dates. They would each take turns with who would decide what they would do that particular day. It helped them get to know one another, and luck must have been on his side because she had seen the full nerdy side of him and still hasn't bolted.

He thought things were actually going well, but he had been warned by Clary after he confided in her about them hanging out that Isabelle had a tendency to drop guys out of the blue so he tried not to get too attached.

It wasn't until he went to place his keys on the hook by the front door that he heard his phone begin to ring, making him break out of his thoughts as he arched a brow in a quizzical manner, thinking it might be Isabelle, but that would be weird since he had just seen her a short while ago.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, answering it without checking the caller ID as he was heading over towards his room. "Hello?"

"Is Clary with you?" Someone noted in a slightly distressed tone.

"Uh… Who is this?" Simon opened his bedroom door, reaching out blindly with his free hand to feel for the light switch whilst wondering if he should just hang up since he didn't want to be giving out information about his friend to a complete stranger.

The person elicited a noise of exasperation before speaking in an irritated manner. "I don't have time to play games with you, mundane. Now answer my question. Is Clary with you?"

Simon rolled his eyes when it dawned on him that he was currently speaking to Clary's rather overly protective boyfriend. He finally flicked on his bedroom light and froze in the middle of the room when he saw someone lying on his bed before he realized that it was none other than the girl in question. "No, she isn't here, and I haven't seen her all day either… Oh, jeez I think you're breaking up…" And with that last remark he hung up the phone since he felt the need to cover for his friend, placing it down on his desk before he rushed to take a seat beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder to shake her gently. "Clary, wake up." He murmured in a hushed tone as to not frighten her.

Clary sprung upright in bed, tensing up to prepare to defend herself, but immediately calmed down when she saw who had woken her up. "Oh, Simon!" She wailed miserably as she threw herself onto him, burying her face against the crook of his neck.

Simon was beyond bewildered at that moment, managing to recover quickly enough to wrap his arms around her and proceeded to place her onto his lap as he rubbed her back gently. "What's wrong? Did something happen with you and…" He didn't want to say Jace's name aloud since he didn't want to trigger her furthermore.

Clary sniffed as she fought back tears, shaking her head as she clung onto him tightly, needing to feel some sort of comfort. "No. It's not about him. It's about my mom and brother." She whispered aloud as she stayed curled against him.

Simon nodded his head once, continuing to rub her back and trying his best to think about how to go about getting her to tell him more since he didn't want to pry. "Can you tell me a little bit more or you don't want to talk about it? Cause we can drop this right now and do something to get your mind off things. I saw earlier that they're showing one of our favorite scary movies on TV. I think it should have recorded already." He placed a kiss against the top of her head before he rested his cheek on the same spot.

Despite after everything that happened just a while ago she found herself smiling as her friend had offered to distract her from her current worries even if it was just for a brief while. She pulled back to look at him, nodding her head eagerly. "I'd like that very much."

Simon returned her smile with one of his own as he loosened his hold in order for her to climb off of his lap to get situated on the bed. He stood up to walk over towards his closet, pulling out a random band t-shirt before he returned to the bed, tossing it in her direction. "I'll get you some pajama shorts from Rebecca's room. That's if you're wanting to stay the night?"

Clary caught the shirt with ease, keeping her smile in place as she looked over at him. "Yes, I'd like to stay if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind. I could use the company anyway since my mom still isn't back from her girls trip with my sister. I'll be right back." He left the room to make his way to his sister's room, giving her a moment alone whilst he tried to find what he was looking for.

Clary's POV

Clary had gotten up from the bed, reluctantly grabbing her phone from her jacket pocket and immediately had to refrain from rolling her eyes in annoyance when she saw she had multiple missed calls and texts. Most of them were either from Jace or her mother, but some were from Isabelle too.

She decided she would message Isabelle, knowing it was sort of petty of her to not just message her mom or Jace instead since they would have been worrying about her the most, but she knew that Isabelle wouldn't pry too much. The last thing she needed was to see Jace or her mom. She guessed that he must have found out about what happened by now, and she didn't think she could handle to find out if it would make him look at her differently.

 **Hey, Izzy. I'm just letting you know that I'm okay. I will be back tomorrow morning. I just need a night to myself. -C**

She wasn't surprised when her phone buzzed a moment later.

 **Are you sure you're alright? Or are you being held hostage? If this really is you… What did we discuss a few nights ago? -Iz**

Clary shook her head in disbelief and oddly found it comical that Isabelle thought she was being held against her own will.

 **It's really me. I believe that conversation ended with me throwing a pillow at your head when you kept trying to make me confess if me and Jace had stepped it up a notch in our relationship. -C**

 **It is you! I'm so relieved! Where are you staying? Do you want me to come to you? -Iz**

Clary could almost hear the worry in Isabelle's messages, making her sputter a laugh before she bit down on her lip when she pondered over telling her where she was. In the end she decided it would help ease her mind and with a shrug she messaged her that she was staying with Simon and pleaded with her to not tell Jace. Just as she hit send she heard Simon's footsteps closing in on her, making her place the phone back in her jacket's pocket.

Simon slipped past the door, holding the pajama shorts up in the air in a victorious manner. "I finally found them! Sorry I took so long. Her room was such a disaster."

Clary skipped over to his side after grabbing the band t-shirt off the bed before taking the item from him with a grin. "Thank you. I'm going to take a quick shower. I'll meet you in the living room." She pecked his cheek on her way out of the door, hearing him laugh in the distance as she had just gotten into the bathroom.

~~

In no time they were both huddled up on the couch watching a movie together whilst eating pizza that Simon had managed to order before their favorite pizza place had closed for the night. She was on her second slice when all of the sudden they both jumped so badly at the sound of someone banging on the front door.

 _Maybe it wasn't a good idea to watch a scary movie this late at night._ She inwardly mused to herself before attempting to shake off her paranoia in order to set her plate down onto the coffee table as she rose up from the couch, reaching out for her seraph blade that she was now thankful to have brought out of the room after she had showered. She held it tightly as she peered over her shoulder to look at Simon. "Were you expecting someone this late?"

Simon shook his head as his gaze narrowed in on the weird object that Clary was now holding. "Not that I know of. Should I go grab my baseball bat from my room?"

Clary snorted in response to his request as she pictured him trying to defend himself with a useless bat before she signaled for him to hush when they heard the banging on the door again but with much more force. She tip-toed towards the door, murmuring the name of her blade aloud as she had now reached the door. She leaned in to look through the peephole and ended up sighing with annoyance when she saw who it was. "Go away." She said loud enough that she hoped the person on the other side would hear.

"You know I could unlock the door easily. I can only be polite for so long. Please open the door, Clary." He retorted in an exasperation.

Clary disengaged her seraph blade with a subtle sigh, placing it down before she reluctantly went on to open the door, but made sure to block Jace from entering the house. "I see that I can't trust Isabelle." She noted in an irritable tone.

Jace's golden hues skimmed along her features from head to toe, noting that she was hardly wearing anything. This didn't settle right with him since it occurred to him that the shirt she was currently wearing was most likely the mundane's, causing him to grit his teeth before he held her gaze. "May I come in? We need to discuss what happened at your mother's house."

Clary snuck a peek behind her, seeing that Simon was trying his hardest not to eavesdrop, but ended up looking hilarious as he was fidgeting around which on any other day she would have laughed. "You might as well shut off the TV. It sadly looks like we will have to reschedule our movie night." She noted dryly before she stepped aside to let Jace inside the house.

Jace stepped into the house, trying his best not to make eye contact with the mundane. He took a seat in the living room that was a little ways from the couch, waiting until Clary got settled beside the mundane much to his dismay. That was when he finally turned his attention to him. "Do you mind giving us some privacy?"

Clary placed her hand over Simon's, shaking her head as she heard what Jace had asked him. "No dice. He stays here."

Jace tried to seem unfazed by both her actions and words, crossing his arms over his chest as he shrugged his shoulder. "Fine. Now explain exactly what happened. Starting with when you left Taki's."

Clary refrained from sighing as she let go of Simon's hand in order to place her hands in her lap. "I went straight to my mom's house, and as soon as I got there I sensed something was wrong. The front door looked like someone had tried to break it down so I made sure to stay alert as I went inside. That's when two ravener demons tried to attack me. I killed the first in no time, but as I was going to get rid of the second, I noticed my mom was unconscious on the floor. I quickly killed the second demon and went to wake her up." She looked away as she bit down on her lip when she knew she had to say what her mom had disclosed to her, but it pained her to do so.

"Clary? Are you alright?" Simon reached out to give her hand a gentle squeeze.

Jace got up from his seat, ignoring the fact that the mundane was holding Clary's hand. He crouched down in front of her, using his finger to tilt her face in his direction, and whilst doing that his gaze flicked along her entire form to make sure that she wasn't wounded. Anger flared within him with the thought of himself not being there to protect her. He knew he should have escorted her to Jocelyn's home, but his siblings had teased him that if he crowded over her so much that she'd get annoyed and leave him. The thought of that happening scared him so he had reluctantly allowed her to leave alone. He silently vowed that he wouldn't ever let her out of his sight again. His attention was solely on her when he shook aside his inner turmoil to focus at the matter at hand. "What happened after, Clary? I can see that it's going to be hard for you to say it, but I need to know everything. I'm going to do everything I can to protect you."

"Wait… Why does she need protection? What aren't you telling us?" Simon inquired with a worry tone, grasping her hand tighter.

Clary bit her lip harder until all she could taste was the copper that suddenly filled her mouth. She fought back traitorous tears that wanted to escape her eyes as she forced herself to take a deep calming breath before she spoke in a hushed tone. "She said that Jonathan took the Mortal Cup, and that I had to warn everyone to prepare themselves for the worst." She couldn't tell him that she also said that he would come for her because then Jace wouldn't let her out of his sight for a second.

Jace sucked in a breath as he heard about the whereabouts of the Mortal Cup. When Maryse had told them that they were going to be on high alert for something that Jonathan had done she had left out that particular piece of information. He knew there was something suspicious of her brother from the moment he met him, but of course he couldn't tell this to Clary. He knew that would make her shut him out completely, and that couldn't happen since he had to make sure she was cleared from any accusations that would be circling around that the Clave would most likely want to charge her with.

Simon was baffled by what Clary said, but the mention of a particular cup had him confused. "What's the Mortal Cup?"

"Shut up, mundie. I don't have time to explain things to you. Not that you even have the right to hear any of this anyway." Jace snapped.

Clary narrowed her eyes into slits as she broke out of Jace's hold. "Don't talk to him like that."

"No, it's fine, Clary. You should be worried about what Jonathan is going to do then explain things to me." Simon retorted in neutral manner, but still felt a little hurt that this was part of Clary's life that he would never understand, and had taken so much of their time together.

Jace sighed as he rose up from the floor, running his fingers through his hair as he forced himself to do the unthinkable which was to apologize. Something he wasn't familiar with. "You're right… I'm sorry, Simon."

Simon waved a dismissive hand at him, not wanting any sympathy from him. "It's fine."

Clary dared to look up to meet Jace's gaze as she knew she had to ask something important. "They're going to be taking me to Idris immediately aren't they? To question me with the Mortal Sword?"

At that mere mention Jace went all rigid. "I won't let that happen." He said in a venomous tone.

The corner of Clary's mouth tugged up into an emotionless smile. "I know you'll want to protect me, and you don't know how much it means to me that you still think the best of me, but you know that they'll take me by force, so I might as well go willingly."

A pained expression flashed across Jace's features since he knew deep down that what she said was true. "Do you really think that Jonathan is going to use the Mortal Cup for the wrong reasons?"

Clary couldn't fight back the tears that ended up filling her eyes as she pictured her brother in her mind. Was what they had together as siblings even true? Did he really love her or did he trick her throughout all these years? She didn't know the answers to those questions, but she knew for damn sure that she was going to find out. When she would get the chance she would find a way to ask him in person. And she had a pretty good guess at how she was going to pull it off. The answer literally rested upon one particular finger of hers, and that object happened to currently be gleaming brightly even in the dimly lit room as if taunting her that it had taken her so long to notice that Jonathan had given her a way to reach him.

And with that thought in mind she mustered up the courage to get up from the couch with a look of determination upon her features. "Cover for me just for tonight. I need one last moment to myself before everything goes to shit, and then first thing in the morning I will give myself up." She held up a hand when she saw Jace was going to protest. "Please just trust me. You can even pick me up tomorrow morning to make sure I go straight to the institute."

Jace pinched the bridge of his nose, releasing a sigh. "I don't agree with this, but I will do my best to cover for you. Just please don't do anything reckless while I'm gone. I couldn't bear the thought of something happening to you." He reached out in a tentative manner to brush his fingers against her cheek.

Simon had been watching Clary as she interacted with Jace, and by her actions he sort of assumed that she was up to something, but he was going to wait until their visitor left before discussing anything.

Clary leaned into his touch with a smile before she reached up on her tip-toes to place a kiss against the corner of his mouth. "I promise."

~~

After she escorted Jace outside and shared one last moment with him she returned into the house, making sure to lock the door before she turned around and was met with the curious stare of her best friend, making her arch a brow.

"What are you up to, Clary?" Simon inquired as he tried to busy himself with cleaning up their mess in order to help him try not to freak out over the wellbeing of his best friend.

She tsked at him as she started to help him clean up. "I'm not up to anything. I'm keeping my word to both you and Jace. Now less talking and more cleaning. I am in desperate need of some beauty sleep." This time she did smile in a genuine manner and she was rewarded with a laugh. It was moments like this between them that she would make herself cling onto because she didn't know what was going to be waiting for her the next day.

~~

An hour had passed since they had gone to bed. She was lying on her side, facing Simon, and trying her hardest not to laugh when she took in his sleeping form. She knew that she needed to go through with seeing Jonathan, but she also knew that it could be a risk, and maybe this would be the last time she'd see Simon.

That thought nearly broke her heart. She reached out to caress his cheek gently before she leaned in to place a kiss against his forehead. "I love you, Simon. I'm so sorry, but I have to do this. I need to know if he's going to put the people I care about in danger. I hope you can forgive me one day."

Within no time she had both dressed and marked herself before she left Simon's house. She made sure not to look back as she walked out to a deserted area, making sure no one was in sight as she held out her hand and placed her fingers around her ring, hoping that her earlier hunch was correct.

"Here goes nothing." She murmured to herself as she went on to make a subtle motion, and without warning a wave of dizziness overwhelmed her before she was surrounded by darkness.


	11. Confrontation

Clary blinked her eyes warily as her vision gradually had come back into focus, making her scowl with annoyance. " I forgot the rather minor side effects of coming here after so long." She grumbled to herself before she looked around the apartment whilst listening out for any indications that someone was here.

She found it kind of eerie that it was too quiet. That couldn't be a good sign. As she started to walk around she noticed that nothing had changed must since the last time she had been brought here. That had been ages ago when she was so much younger, and that time she was with her father and Jonathan…

The mere mention of her brother had her coming back to the matter at hand. She walked over towards the stairs, taking a deep breath as she willed herself to stay calm. "Jonathan? Are you here?" She announced loudly as she took her time going up the steps.

A frown settled upon her face when she didn't hear a respond. She went on to check every room, finding them all relatively empty, but when she opened the master bedroom there were telltale signs that someone was living here. And by someone she meant Jonathan. She recalled that he could never keep his room clean. She used to find that funny, but now wasn't the time to recall such memories.

With a sigh she made her way back downstairs, knowing that he would return at some point. And she actually thought that maybe it was better that he wasn't here at the moment. It would allow her to think of what to even say to him.

She still couldn't wrap her head around the accusations her mother had voiced pretty heavily the last time she saw her. Those thoughts were put aside when her stomach rumbled, making her recall that the last time she had eaten she was interrupted and hadn't eaten enough. With a shrug of her shoulder she made her way towards the kitchen, hoping that Jonathan had restocked the fridge and pantry. And to her surprise he actually had.

~~

Not too long after she had satisfied her appetite she went back upstairs since he still hadn't arrived back, allowing her to enter his room freely. She scooted aside the dirty clothes that littered the floor with her shoes every now and then as she tried to find any piece of evidence that he may have left out in the open. She was just beginning to open a drawer when she heard the subtle creak of a floorboard coming from behind her, making her whirl around to face her company.

Jonathan stood in the doorway of the room, arms crossed over his chest as he quirked a brow in a questioning manner. "Why, hello there, Clary... May I ask why you are snooping through my belongings?"

 _Jeez, good job, Clary. You had one task, and you failed miserably. And you're supposed to be one of the greatest shadowhunters._ _Apparently not._ She inwardly mumbled to herself out of annoyance that he had been able to sneak up on her. There was no way that she was going to back down even though he had caught her off guard. She set her jaw in a stubborn stance, making sure to hold his gaze as she stood her ground. "I think it's time for me to ask questions instead. For starters… Why did you attack our mother the other night?"

Jonathan was unfazed by her question, releasing an irritable sigh in response of the mention of Jocelyn. "She is your mother. Not mine. She lost the right to that title when she abandoned me before I had even turned a year old." He retorted in a cold tone.

Clary was taken aback when she heard him confess to what he had done along with shocking her with the venomous lilt that was carried in his words. "She is still your mother no matter what. We don't know the full extent of why she did what she did, but you still didn't have the right to attack her for no apparent reason."

Jonathan tsked as he took a step into the room, ebony hues blazing with a fiery glint to them. "Oh, I had the right to do what I did. She's lucky that I merely left her unconscious only because I know you care for her, but I must admit that the look on her face when she saw me was priceless. It was as if she'd seen a ghost."

Clary took a step back, bumping into the bedside table in the process. "I don't even know who you are anymore. This person in front of me right now isn't you." She extended her arm out to make a motion along his entire form with her hand for further emphasis.

Jonathan took a few more steps towards her until he was close enough to feel the subtle warmth of her body, and having to peer down at her with a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I'm the same as I've ever been, but by your current attitude towards me, I now know that Jocelyn has said something about me that's made you think differently of me. What exactly did she tell you?" He inclined his head to the side in an absent-minded manner as he waited to hear what she had to say.

Clary sucked in a breath when there was barely any gap between them, making her bite the inside of her lip to keep herself focused. "She told me that you managed to steal the Mortal Cup, and that you were going to use it for terrible things like our father supposedly intended to do. Please tell me that what she said isn't true." Her last words nearly came out as a plea as she was on the verge of her breaking point.

Jonathan noticed the subtle change in her facial expression along with her tone. It took all of his restraint to not reach out and caress her cheek in order to comfort her. He knew deep down inside that he couldn't allow himself to comfort her because that would make him seem weak, and right now with what he was planning on doing he couldn't afford to be weak so instead he clenched his fists at his sides in order to keep himself from touching her, but he allowed his voice to soften just a bit. "What she said was correct. I have the Mortal Cup, and I am going to fulfill father's dying wish of giving the world the cleanse it so desperately needs."

Clary gasped aloud upon hearing his answer as her head was spinning in response to just the slight amount of information he had disclosed to her. She didn't want to come to terms with him being the villain that her mother was making him out to be. "No. This can't be. Jonathan, whatever you are planning to do you need to stop! I don't know what I would do if the Clave got hold of you once they find out what you've taken. I can't bear the thought of losing you. So, please stop this nonsense for me, and forgot whatever father instilled in you about this insane plan of yours." She had to look away to not allow him to see the way her verdant hues were now glistening. She hated being so weak in front of people, especially the one she had always held on a pedestal.

A pang of sadness hit him so hard in the chest when he saw that she was on the verge of tears over him. Instead of caring about her wellbeing she was worried about what would happen to him. Oh, his sweet sister was going to be the death of him. With a sigh he reluctantly found himself cupping her face in his hands to make her look at him. "Don't waste tears or worry over me. And as for your request… It's far too late to stop now when too many things are now in motion. Except one important thing."

Clary meet his gaze unwillingly, his last words having caught her curiosity even under these circumstances. "What would that important thing be?"

Jonathan smirked in a malignant way before he spoke in a amused manner since she hadn't known the answer. "It's you of course."

Clary blinked. "What do I have to do with all of this? I want no part in what you or father were planning on doing."

"Don't you want to know what I'm doing?" His eyes shone with sudden excitement.

Clary shook her head even though she was silently wondering just what he needed to do in order to start his so-called cleanse that he had hinted at earlier, but she didn't want to show interest in case he'd take that as acceptance from her end. "No, I don't."

Jonathan chuckled as his fingers traveled down her cheeks and continued down until his hands could rest against her shoulders. "You forget that I know you so well, and know that deep down you are curious, and against my better judgment I'm willing to tell you if you give me the chance to."

Clary knew she shouldn't agree, but if he was going to disclose some important information to her then she knew she couldn't pass up the opportunity. She had people to protect, and that's how she found herself nodding in answer to his offer.

Jonathan smirked furthermore as he stepped back from her, holding out a hand for her to take hold of. "Let's get a little more comfortable before we start."

~~

Getting comfortable consisted of them being seated across from one another at the dining room table whilst Jonathan had arranged an array of snacks and choices of beverages for them both.

Much to her annoyance he didn't want to start to speak until she had helped herself to what he had prepared for them. With a roll of her eyes she grabbed a plate, placing crackers, cheese, and prosciutto onto it along with grapes. She then settled upon a sparkling flavored water at last minute then made a point to meet his gaze, stifling the urge to huff as she stacked a piece of cheese on top of cracker and took a bite of it. "Are you satisfied now?"

Jonathan arched a brow as he watched her theatrical performance before he laughed softly. "Yes, I am." He took a sip of wine that he had just poured himself, letting the bitter taste settle in his mouth before he set the glass back down. "As you're well aware of, I have taken possession of the Mortal Cup, and plan on using it in the meantime until I can get hold of something better to use for what I truly need to make my plan successful." He paused a moment to give her a moment to think as he started to snack on some food.

Clary nodded her head as she finished taking a sip of her drink to wash down the food she had been eating as he spoke before she drummed her fingers against the table in a nervous manner as she was about to speak even though her mind was reeling with this sudden information. "What exactly did our father brainwash you into doing?"

"He didn't brainwash me into doing anything. At a young age he enlightened me about what was truly happening all around us that was being ignored. I knew that what he was planning on doing would help us to rebuild our fellow shadowhunters back to the most valued ones on Earth as we once were." He paused a moment to let his words sink in before he decided he might as well let her in on what had been happening behind closed doors as well. "Father didn't want to bring you into this because of a stupid promise he had made with your mother when he went to retrieve you from her. I thought you would be able to handle it, but no matter how much he saw you excelling in almost everything that was thrown at you, he still viewed you as the innocent little girl you had been when he first met you. And that is why one day he decided that he was going to send you away." His hands clenched into fists as he had begun to replay that moment in his head.

Clary was staring at him wide eyed as she listened so closely to everything that he was telling her. His words had shocked her to her very core, and what made it worse was witnessing the anger that had begun to fill him that caused him to stop speaking as if what he was going to say next physically pained him, making her only imagine the worst of things. "Go on, Jonathan. I can handle it."

He pinched his eyes shut for a second, releasing the breath he didn't know he was holding before his words tumbled out almost on their own accord with a tinge of anguish laced in them. "As you recall… I was with him during his very last mission, but before we were to leave he said that once we returned home that I had to say my goodbyes to you because he was going to send you back to your mother until he could come back for you when the time was right. He thought that she would keep you safe for him when he was going to finally put his plan into play. I couldn't picture not having you around me anymore, so that day when we were suddenly surrounded by too many demons to count, and father had been taken down... I didn't help him. Instead I left him to die, and only returned to make sure he was truly gone before I came back home and had his death reported." He risked a glance at her direction as his nails dug into the palms of his hands, causing him to stifle the urge to hiss when he felt his nails break into his skin as he knew that this secret could unravel everything they had together.

Clary gasped aloud, placing her hand over her mouth as she looked at him in complete horror. She couldn't believe what he had just said. He actually left their father to die. The man that raised them both. She felt physically sick as she pictured that moment in her head, but she forced herself to speak in a hushed tone. "Jonathan… H-how could you do such a terrible thing?"

He uncurled his hands that were resting in his lap in order to wipe the blood against his trousers, giving him time to compose himself. And before he realized it he had suddenly found himself scoffing. "Oh, please. Don't act like you cared so much for him. He wasn't a loveable father, and he tortured us both for years on end. I know you saw him whip me after I had protected you from receiving that beating that would have been yours. So, dear sister are you really going to sit there and try to lie even to yourself that you actually cared about him? After everything he put us both through?"

She nearly flinched when she remembered the day he mentioned so clearly, and how his cries had haunted her even till this day. She averted her gaze and it had then taken all of her willpower to not break her composure under his stare that was practically burning into her when she had stayed quiet for so long. What was worse was that even though he basically told her that he had left their father to die, she didn't feel any different over his death. Because like he had stated earlier, they had both suffered so much by his hands, and it wasn't until now that she could finally admit to herself that she had felt relieved that he was gone, and she never had to worry about being punished ever again. With that revelation she knew that she was just as much of a monster as the other two Morgenstern men. It made her even more sick when she knew she had the same darkness inside her as they both seemed to have.

"Clary, would you kindly say something!" Jonathan retorted a little impatiently as it was driving him almost mad that she had kept quiet for too long, making him assume that she wanted nothing to do with him anymore after what was said.

Clary reluctantly glanced at him, attempting to bottle up all of her emotions to dwell upon later because now she needed to be strong and get to the real situation at hand and not waste time discussing the past. "No matter what happened he was our father. I just wish that I had noticed when he started to manipulate you… For that I'm so sorry." She held up a finger to silence him when she saw him start to say something. "That's in the past now. I want to focus on what we sat down here to discuss instead."

A feeling of relief washed over him as it appeared that she wasn't as unsettled as he thought she was, making him lean forward as he rested his elbows onto the table in an almost eager manner since she was giving all of her attention to him once again. "The Clave has turned into such a disgrace since they've allowed themselves to be easily tainted by the likes of all downworlders. With that being said I want our beloved Idris to be free of the vile influence of all degenerate beings, and Earth to be remade with the promise of being sheltered from demonic forces forever under my rule."

Clary nearly flinched when she heard him say 'downworlders' with such disgust, but that was momentarily forgotten when she now fully understood what he was hinting at. "So, what you're saying is that you're going to kill everyone, just because they allowed themselves to be /tainted/ by downworlders?" She inquired in disbelief.

Jonathan thought over how she had just phrased what he disclosed to her before he nodded his head once. "Basically yes, but if anyone should bow down to me, and abide by my rules then they will be free to live and stand by my side under my protection." He had to make sure not to tell her that the people who gave themselves up to him wouldn't technically be free do as they pleased. He had plans for them. That mere thought almost had him smirking, but he refrained from doing so and managed to keep a blank expression as to not tip her off.

Clary took her time studying his features, knowing deep down that she couldn't believe anything that he was saying since he had been keeping all of this a secret for so long. Anger started to course through her as she relived the betrayal she had felt when she first learned of his current actions that had caused him to almost harm her mother in the process, allowing her to use that feeling to keep her mind clear and not let her feelings for him to get the best of her. "Well, by all means I guess you should go on and get rid of me then. I'm one of the tainted that you speak of." She said through gritted teeth as she clenched her hands against her lap.

Jonathan sucked in a breath when she was basically telling him to end her life right this instant. "How could you think that I'd ever lay a hand on you?"

"Because I happen to care about one particular downworlder, and that's not going to change any time soon. So, you might as well get on with it." At this point she was seething and before she knew what she was doing she had already removed a dagger from its sheath that she had concealed on her, holding it out to him with the hilt of it in his direction.

Jonathan's hand trembled as he clenched his teeth whilst he happened to recognize the kindjal that she was handing to him. It was one of the Morgenstern's daggers, and this particular one had been gifted to Clary whilst he had the twin of it back at their family home. He narrowed his eyes into slits, slamming his hand down onto the table with such force that caused everything on the table to almost scatter everywhere as he blatantly ignored the weapon in her hand. "I believe it's Lucian that you're referring to. Father never should have allowed him to live, and I'll be damned if I let that downworlder be the reason that you would turn your back on me. Can't you see that I'm doing this for the both of us? I know you probably won't believe me right now, but I love you. I always will. Now stop being so stubborn and join me. You will rule by my side, and I will gladly do anything you ask of me for when we start this new life together." He was breathing so hard as he was slowly being filled with rage. He attempted to take in deep breaths to calm himself down because his demon half was getting the better of him, and he didn't want to succumb to it in front of Clary. He didn't want to harm her.

Clary jumped in her seat, almost dropping the dagger onto the table when he slammed his hand down onto the table so hard and had raised his voice at her. She gripped the dagger tighter as to not allow him to see her hand shaking so badly out of fear. She slowly placed the dagger back in its sheath as she willed herself to stay strong, but it was difficult to do so when this was the first time she'd witness him so angry. Of course throughout their times together he had some outbursts due to their little arguments or when he protected her from their father, but this time was way different. Once she was sure she could speak in a calmly manner she cleared her throat, shifting her gaze back onto his. "I don't believe that you love me. I did once, but not now after you've kept so much from me… I don't know what is real anymore. Was everything that we shared together a lie?" Even she heard her voice crack, making her look down at her hands that rested on her lap as she squeezed her eyes shut to not allow the tears to escape her eyes.

Jonathan felt a part of him break inside when he heard the uncertainty in her voice when she spoke about all of the times they had shared together and his profound love for her. Before he could talk himself out of doing something he'd regret he had already pushed his chair back and gotten up to rush over to her side. He dropped to his knees in front of her, tugging her chair to face him before he held her face in his hands for the second time that day. "Clary, look at me."

She kept her eyes closed even after she heard his movements, yelping softly in surprise when he positioned her chair to face him. She then fought back a gasp when out of nowhere she felt the heat of his palms caressing her cheeks, but when she heard the gentle caress of his voice she opened her eyes, ignoring the tears that filled them immediately when she saw the look of distraught upon his face. "Just tell me the truth. I can't be lied to anymore."

Jonathan never felt so many emotions ever in his life until she had finally made her appearance in his life. Whatever humanity was left in him stayed because of her. She was his rock. Without her by his side he knew that he'd lose himself to his demon half forever. With that final thought in mind he shut his eyes for a brief moment before he held her gaze again. "Every single moment between us was one hundred percent true. I've cared for you ever since the first moment I laid eyes on you. It's you who keeps me grounded when I start to lose myself to the darkness that's inside of me. It's you who opened my eyes to some of the beauty in the world that I never paid attention to. It's you who I can trust with my life. And it's only been you who I've ever truly loved. Can't you see that?" His tone had an edge of desperation to it as he poured his feelings out to her.

Clary didn't fight back the tears as they flowed freely down her cheeks that clouded her vision and before she could stop herself she threw her arms around his neck, burying her face against his shoulder. "Oh, Jonathan!" She cried as she let herself forget their current predicament. This was the person that knew her better than anyone else. The one who believed that she could be more than what anyone expected of her because of her father's mistakes in the past. And most of all... He was the only one who could fully understand her, and if this were to be their last moment together she wanted to make it worth it.

His eyes had scanned her face in a frantic manner when he saw so many emotions cross over her features, and before he could prepare himself from her sudden assault she was now against him whilst she was crying her heart out. His eyes widened in shock briefly before he recovered quickly, wrapping his arms around her as he held her tightly against him. He murmured soothing words in her ear as he held her until she was done crying. Only then did he pull her away from him, wiping her face free from all of her tears. "Do you believe me now? Will you stay with me?"

Clary couldn't find it in herself to be ashamed for crying and letting her walls down in front of him after she knew in her heart and soul that he was telling her the truth. It was that feeling alone that was going to either hurt or end up killing her when she had to make her decision. She waited until after he was done fretting over her to peer up at him with a look of determination upon her features. "I have made up my mind." She said in a hushed tone, knowing he heard her well.

"What have you decided?" Jonathan tensed up ever so slightly as his hands gripped her arms whilst he waited anxiously for her answer.


	12. Consequences

Clary's POV

She averted her gaze from his own, knowing that she couldn't handle to see the look on his face as she spoke her reply in a whisper. "I can't be a part of this with you."

Jonathan felt as if she had stabbed him in the chest when she hadn't accepted his offer, making him loosen his hold on her just slightly as he couldn't help but notice that she was slowly slipping away from him. "Why not? Don't you believe that I will keep you safe?"

Clary bit down on her lip hard to not cry again as she dared to peek at him when she heard the hopeful lilt to his words as if he thought she would change her mind. "I can't be a part of something that will put the ones I care about in harms way."

"What if I promise that I will keep those selected few safe? Would that make you agree to my terms?" Jonathan was trying to grasp onto the last thread of hope as he pleaded with her.

She shook her head, brushing aside the stray strands of hair that now covered her face after that movement, giving her a chance to take a calming breath as she was trying her hardest to not give into him. "I can't harm those that are innocent. It's not who I am, and I still don't know if I can trust your word right now."

Jonathan let out a defeated sigh as he let go of her to pull back a little ways as he prepared himself to do something that was going to end up hurting him later. "I'm sorry to hear that, Clarissa. I don't think you deserve to have this right now. Not until you've come to your senses and see that what I'm doing is actually good."

Clary was confused by his words, not understanding what he was saying until he reached out for her hand, taking the ring off of her finger and before she could react he grasped her wrist so tightly, using his other hand to push up the sleeve of her jacket. Her eyes widened in surprise as she realized what he was trying to do, making her attempt to wriggle out of his hold. "No, Jonathan! Please don't do that!"

Jonathan ignored her pleas as he went on to pull out his stele and drew a rune onto her skin as best as he could whilst she had been trying to break free of his hold. "I'm more than sure that we will cross paths again. By that time I hope you will be ready to take your rightful place at my side." He could see that the effects of the rune were starting to take affect. He leaned forward to place a chaste-like kiss against the corner of her mouth. "I really meant it when I said that I loved you, and when you finally see what I'm trying to do and decide you want to join me. I will gladly accept you back. Until then… Farewell, Clarissa."

Clary's eyes started to close on their own accord, and the last moments that she remembered were the kiss he gave her along with his parting words before she passed out.

Jonathan's POV

He caught her as soon as she had started to collapse, bringing her into his arms as he peered down at her now sleeping form. His heart ached when he knew that he needed to take her back to her temporary home. It was the only way to keep her safe until he would come back for her. Whether she wanted to come with him or not.

He also knew that when she would be found that she would be questioned severely and since he had already told her a little of his plan, he decided that he needed to hurry to retrieve the next Mortal Instrument that was on his list. And this particular one would make sure that Clary couldn't be properly questioned.

With that in mind he withheld a sigh as he adjusted her in his hold in order to pinch his fingers around his ring, letting the darkness envelop them as he was now going to take her back where she needed to be for the meantime.

~~

Jace's POV

It had been a couple of hours now since he was aware that Clary was missing after Simon had awoken in the middle of the night and immediately called to tell him that she was gone. Or rather he had called Izzy, and then she had disclosed the information to him. The fact that he had contacted Izzy had rose suspicion of something going on between his sister and Simon, but he decided to brush that aside for the moment.

After he had a clear mind after getting as much information as he could from Simon about where Clary might be, he had looked all over for her within those hours, but in the end he had failed to find her. It was as if she had vanished without leaving a trace of her presence in the midst of the choas that was sure to come.

And in that time he already pissed off everyone he came in contact with because he was beyond infuriated with himself. He had once again left Clary on her own, and in the hands of a puny mundane nonetheless.

He was now pacing back and forth in his room as he awaited to hear any news revolving around her return. What was making it worse was that he had been informed that the Inquisitor would be arriving to the institute alongside Maryse. He knew that if Clary didn't return home before they arrived that she would look guilty in their eyes.

That mere thought had him pause in the center of the room, pinching his eyes shut as he basked in this moment of silence within the confines of his room that managed to help calm him a bit for even just a brief moment. But his moment of silence was interrupted when all of the sudden he heard the familiar yowls that belonged to Church, who seemed to currently be outside in the hallway, making him grumble as he walked over towards the door, opening it enough to poke his head out whilst he glared at the cat. "Church be quiet."

Church ignored his request and began to circle around in front of Clary's bedroom door whilst his yowls became even louder than possible.

Jace threw open his door in order to exit the room and go over towards the cat, reaching out to pick it up, but ended up recoiling at last moment when Church hissed and tried to lash out at his arm. "I swear you're so annoying. She isn't in there, but if you want to go in then go right ahead." He retorted in an annoyed tone before he opened Clary's bedroom door, watching in shock as Church all but bolted into the room and darted over towards the bed, but that wasn't what shocked Jace. What shocked him was witnessing that Church managed to hop onto the bed where he then saw a familiar silhouette laying on top of it.

Jace blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating and when he realized it was Clary that was lying so still against the bed, his heart dropped. He ran over towards her, moving Church aside when he had been licking her face. He then gripped her shoulders to give her a shake to wake her up. "Clary!"

Jace was so distraught when Clary wasn't responding to anything, making him immediately check her pulse before he began to examine her body for any signs of injuries. It was that act alone that allowed him to notice that there was a newly placed rune against her forearm. His brow furrowed as he tried to decipher what it was, but after a moment it came to his mind. It was one that is used to render someone unconscious.

He then remembered someone telling him that if you managed to inflict enough damage on a rune it could stop its effects. With a slight grimace he reached down to his weapons belt, grasping a knife and without letting himself over think about his next actions, he had already slashed the rune with the blade of the knife.

It felt like an eternity as he watched Clary stay unconscious for a few moments before she sat upright with a gasp, making both him and Church jump in alarm, but unlike the cat who suddenly scurried out of the room, he stayed still as he watched her awaken completely.

Clary's POV

She had been stuck in a vat of darkness for only the angels themselves knew for how long, and then there was a familiar voice calling out to her. She followed it and found herself bolting upright into a sitting position, causing her to look around her whereabouts in a wild manner before her gaze fell upon a familiar face. "Jace!"

"By the angel. You had me so worried." Jace voiced aloud as he tried not to give into his instincts of just pulling her into his arms because he could tell that she still wasn't fully there. And instead he placed his knife back onto his belt without her seeing, and proceeded to remove his stele.

Clary looked down at her arm when she realized she was feeling a slight stinging sensation there all of the sudden. Her eyes widened in alarm when she saw she had been cut, making her look up at Jace in disbelief. "Did you cut me?"

Jace felt his cheeks warm just a tiny bit whilst he tried to keep a neutral expression as he gently placed an iratze against her arm. "I only did it because you wouldn't have woken up if I hadn't. Can you tell me who placed that rune on your arm?"

Clary felt stupid that it didn't occur to her that Jace had actually done the right thing and she had just been too delirious to understand fully. It wasn't until he asked about who had marked her that made her chew on her bottom lip before she spoke in a low tone as she stayed still whilst he had been giving her an iratze. "I don't want to talk about it."

Jace stifled the urge to groan as both the lack of sleep and his earlier search for her was slowly catching up with him. "Clary… We don't have time for you to be stubborn right now. It would be wise to get our stories straight before the Inquisitor arrives at any moment with Maryse."

Clary stiffened ever so slightly in response to the mention of the Inquisitor coming here. She had been expecting it to be her going to Idris to come face-to-face with her instead. "What do you mean that she's coming here? Why would she risk her own life by coming here when Jonathan is still on the loose?" She had to make sure not to grimace when she said her brother's name as to not tip off Jace about what happened with him not so long ago. The memory of their confrontation was still fresh in her mind. As well as the hurt she felt when he had called her Clarissa instead of calling her by her nickname as he always had. That memory alone almost had her wanting to curl into a ball and give into her sorrows, but Jace's presence was giving her the strength she needed to not fall apart.

Jace shrugged his shoulder as his golden hues skimmed along her features to try and determine exactly how she was feeling in this moment whilst happening to notice that she skipped past the main thing he wanted to hear. "I have no idea why she is coming here. Maryse didn't think it was necessary to tell us more than to just expect their visit and to be on our best behavior. But enough with that. Will you please tell me what happened to you?"

A soft noise emitted from her lips as she moved to rest her back against the headboard of the bed and rested her hands in her lap whilst making a point to not look at Jace in order to keep her composure since she knew reliving her little moment with Jonathan might affect her. "I snuck off to see Jonathan a little after you left. He wasn't home at the time when I had arrived, so I tried to find any clues as to what he was planning, but I didn't get far into searching when he finally showed up. We discussed some things, and he told me just the gist of his plan." Clary couldn't bring herself to speak about their last few moments together, and found herself tracing the finger that once held her ring that he had gifted her in an absent-minded manner.

Jace's mind was reeling when she had mentioned that Jonathan had disclosed some information about his plans to her, and just as he was about to ask what those plans consisted of, they both jumped in alarm at the sound of people storming into the room.

"Step away from the girl." An authoritative voice demanded.

Jace immediately stepped into action, standing up to block anyone from getting to Clary. "No. I will do no such thing until someone explains what is going on. Why the need for them?" He inclined his head in the direction of the two shadowhunters standing by the woman's side. Whom he presumed was the Inquisitor, and she seemed to think she needed guards with her in response to both his and Clary's presence. That amused him somehow.

Clary moved to stand up beside the bed, taking advantage of Jace blocking her from the view of the people in the room as she went on to set all of her weapons down onto the bedside table and then proceeded to take a deep calming breath before she brushed past Jace, making sure to hold her head up high and stood up straight whilst keeping a blank expression. "It's okay, Jace. I will comply to whatever they demand."

The Inquisitor snorted as she met Clary's gaze. "Oh, how kind of you to want to follow orders. I can now see so much of your father in you. It's no surprise that both of his children are just as conniving as he always was." She retorted dryly.

Clary's verdant hues skimmed along the woman's features in front of her, taking in the old-fashioned shadowhunter clothing that she was dressed in, her pale blond hair that was neatly wound up and held by combs, whilst her gaze was all but burning into her. But she managed to make herself pay attention to what she was now saying to her. And to her amusement she wasn't offended by her words, but instead she found herself rolling her eyes with annoyance showing on her face. "Enough with the useless chitchat. Can we just get this over with? Do what you came to do already."

Jace sucked in a breath as he heard how Clary was speaking to the Inquisitor. "Clary! Please don't antagonize her." He hissed at her before he turned his attention back to the Inquisitor. "She has done nothing wrong. I'm sure that once we all sit down and discuss things through properly that you will see that she is innocent."

The Inquisitor tutted in response to Jace's words, but kept her gaze upon Clary. "Oh, how lovely. I see you're just like your father. Using others to protect your own skin. But I've had enough of all of this nonsense. Seize her at once!" Her last words were directed to the two male shadowhunters at her sides.

Clary shook her head when she saw Jace begin to reach towards his weapons belt. "Don't do anything stupid. I will be alright." She murmured to him under her breath before she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and then proceeded to take a few steps forward whilst holding out her hands in front of her. She made sure not to wince when handcuffs were placed upon her in a rough manner and quite tightly.

And then all eyes had turned towards the new person that came into the room that had elicited a gasp.

Maryse was appalled by what she was seeing before her very eyes. "Imogen! What is the meaning of this? She is merely a child!"

The Inquisitor narrowed her eyes in Maryse's direction. "You shall address me as Inquisitor or Inquisitor Herondale. And I have the right to do what I think is fit for this matter. For all we know she is here spying on all of us and reporting back to her traitorous sibling! Now step aside and let myself and The Council handle this act of treason."

Clary was pushed forward roughly in order to make her walk towards the door, causing her to grit her teeth as she turned around to look at who had laid their hands upon her, and made sure to remember their face before she turned her attention onto Jace when he had called out for her. She would never forget the look on his face as she was finally escorted fully out of the room.

Maryse's POV

"Maryse do something!" Jace said in desperation as he watched Clary being manhandled out of her bedroom.

"Calm down, Jace." Maryse murmured to him, silently pleading with him to behave as she was going to try her best to help Clarissa. If she had known that Imogen was going to arrest Clarissa upon her arrival she wouldn't have spent too much time greeting her children. She tried to clear her thoughts in order to focus on the matter at hand before she turned her attention solely on the Inquisitor. "Where is she being taken?"

Inquisitor Herondale merely shrugged a shoulder as if she was unfazed by what had just occured. "Clarissa Adele Morgenstern is currently being escorted to the prison of Silent City."

Maryse elicited another gasp, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why on earth would you decide to send her there? She is innocent."

Jace was beyond infuriated by this point, feeling rage coursing through his veins as he thought of his precious Clary being kept down in the eerie lower levels of Silent City all alone. There was no way that he was going to let this happen, and just as he even thought about making a move, Maryse signaled for him to stop. It took all of his willpower to stand still as his mind reeled with possible plans to rescue Clary as soon as he was able to do so.

Inquisitor Herondale scoffed as her eyes narrowed into slits as she held Maryse's gaze. "Are you really going to stand there and defend her? For all we know she's as vile as her brother, and is playing her part in wreaking havoc upon our people!"

Maryse held her hands out in a defenseless manner, trying her best to remain calm and trying to get Imogen to do so as well. "Until there is actual proof whether she is aiding her brother then leave her in my care. I will keep her confined in her quarters if that's what is needed."

The Inquisitor was baffled as she listened to Maryse's words. "Leave her in your care? She already was under your care and being watched along with being trained in your own home, but still she has been plotting with her brother against their own kind right under your nose. You have lost the trust of both myself and The Council."

All three of them suddenly stiffened in unison when they each heard a distinctive noise that was drifting towards them through the hallway. Someone was trying to reach them for help. And that was the end of their conversation.

Maryse instructed Jace to retrieve his siblings and make sure they were prepared in case they would be needed. She then had to watch as a clearly grief stricken Jace exited the room, feeling an ache of sadness wash over her when it became clear that Jace was more than attached to Clarissa. She just hoped that her son's heart wouldn't be broken beyond repair at the end of this matter. And prayed that Clarissa wasn't the reason that they were receiving what she thought was a distress call.

~~

Clary's POV

Her trip to Silent City had been fairly quick. It didn't surprise her that the Inquisitor managed to plan a way to get her here right away along with sending her with two guards whilst being handcuffed. It would have flattered her on any other day that she was being seen as an extremely dangerous threat, but that was soon turned to irritation when she was being manhandled again.

An exasperated noise emitted from her lips as she was shoved forward a little more harshly than necessary. She managed to bite her tongue as to not allow her companions to see how much they were annoying her. She wouldn't give them the pleasure of seeing her break and lash out at them. She knew that they would be expecting that. Instead she had to deal with listening to the end of their rather loud conversation.

"I always knew that the Morgenstern family were all monstrous."

"She's just a little girl. Too bad she was given such a poor example of a father. And don't get me started on her disgrace of a brother."

Clary was beginning to feel herself reacting to their words, making her struggle against her restraints, which caused her to wince when she felt the handcuffs bite into her skin. "You're both pathetic."

"Excuse me? Did you just insult us?" The dark haired man retorted with a tinge of animosity in his tone whilst his companion was looking at her with such hatred showing on his face.

A subtle laugh escaped her lips as she stopped walking in order to turn around to face her companions. "Oh, jeez. It seems as if you're both rather dimwitted as well. I would have figured that the Inquisitor would keep smarter acquaintances at her side. Instead of two imbeciles."

The blond haired man gritted his teeth before his hand whipped out to backhand her in a swift motion. "Keep your mouth shut! You will respect your elders."

Clary stumbled back a step in response to the force of the slap across her face. She clenched her teeth as she ignored the pain, feeling the trickle of blood that was now sliding down her mouth. She licked the trail of blood from her mouth as best as she could before a perilous smirk displayed upon her lips. "Do you feel better now after hitting a girl? I would admit that you have such balls for even daring to hit me, but since I'm not able to defend myself it makes you a coward. Why don't you remove the handcuffs and I'll gladly give you a lesson on how to properly hit a person. Cause it's now clearly proven that you were poorly trained."

The blond haired man clenched his hands into fists as he spared a glance at his partner as his face was beet red with embarrassment in response to her words. "I think that she needs another reminder in order for her to keep her mouth shut. Shall I do the honors or will you?"

"I'd rather have the both of you step away from my sister." A menacing voice retorted from behind her.

Clary bristled when she heard Jonathan's voice, making her turn around to look over to where he was standing. And if she wasn't already shocked by his sudden appearance it was worsened when she noticed that it appeared that he had been in a recent scuffle.

Both men retrieved their choice of weapons and moved quickly to keep Clary behind themselves as they faced their current threat.

"Drop your weapon!"

"Or we will have no choice but to kill you where you stand!"

Jonathan smirked in a malignant way as he kept his grip on his seraph blade. "I would say that it pains me to kill my own kind, but you both settled your own fates when you laid a hand upon my sister."

Clary watched in horror as the men charged towards her brother, and not even a full minute had passed when they both were dispatched of so easily and now were lying on the floor in their own pools of blood with Jonathan towering over them with the most sinister expression upon his face. It was that mere look that sent a shiver of fear down her spine with the knowledge of not knowing what was going to happen next.

 ** _Sorry for the late update. I promise to make it up to you all with the next update that will be faster. I also want to take the time to say thank you to those who have left reviews. I appreciate them very much, and they help encourage me to continue writing._**


	13. Time is all we have

Jonathan's POV

He wiped the blood from his blade by swiping it against his darkened trousers before he placed his seraph blade back in its place, averting his gaze upon his sister and proceeded to step over the bodies in order to stand in front of her. "Are you alright?" He inquired before his fingers gently caressed her face.

Clary allowed him to fuss over her, knowing that he was looking for any other injuries that she may have received. "I'm fine. Just have a split lip and maybe some bruises. I've had worse in the past."

Jonathan clenched his jaw as he took notice of all of her so-called minor injuries. He had been so content a few moments ago when his next plan had been successful, but what he didn't expect to find was his sister being mistreated. "Tell me who ordered you to be sent here. I will gladly kill them and anyone else who had something to do with this." He said in a venomous tone.

Clary shivered in response to the warmth of his hand against her sore cheek, allowing herself to lean into his touch for a moment before she looked up at him in alarm as something just occurred to her. "You have to leave! They will have sent someone to make sure that I arrived here without a problem, and they will kill you if they see you!" She raised her hands up and gave his chest a soft push, having to try not to wince when she felt the handcuffs tear at her skin in response to her sudden movement.

Jonathan had stumbled back a step since he wasn't prepared for her sudden assault, but that was forgotten when he barley noticed that she was wearing handcuffs. A low growl emitted from deep within his chest when he noticed how the skin of her wrists were reddened from how tight they had been placed on. This angered him furthermore until he heard what she had voiced to him, causing the corner of his mouth to raise in a subtle smirk. "Instead of worrying about your own wellbeing, you are always concerned about your big brother. How sweet."

Clary rolled her eyes as she ignored his words along with trying to not pay attention to the dull throbbing sensation from her wrists as she gave his chest another nudge. "I'm being serious! You need to get out of here."

Jonathan took hold of her hands as gently as he could as to not hurt her furthermore whilst holding her gaze. "I will release you of your restraints if you say that you'll willingly come with me. Now you see how they treat you just based on whose blood runs through your veins. You have to decide quickly though." His last words came out with a lilt of desperation as his heightened hearing alerted him of multiple footsteps coming in their direction.

Clary bit the inside of her lip as she held his gaze whilst trying to make up her mind. If she left with him right now she would be known as a traitor and would be stripped of her marks or have something far worse happen to her if she was later caught. And to top it off she would be taken from everyone else that she cared about. What would happen to them? This was too hard of a decision to make with such short notice, and before she could even muster up a reply she felt Jonathan remove his hold on her hands.

"Sorry, Clarissa. Time is up. The cavalry has arrived. I will see you very soon, and I want you to prepare yourself." Jonathan leaned down to place a kiss against her forehead before he stepped back from her and vanished from her sight, leaving a stunned Clary in the middle of his most recent moment of bloodshed.

~~

Jace's POV

Time seemed to have gone by so quickly. One minute he was gathering his siblings in the weapons room whilst briefly enlightening them about the recent events that happened with Clary then all of the sudden Maryse had showed up in the doorway looking pale and rather distraught.

His blood had run cold when she had told them that there had been a distress call from Silent City. His only worry was of Clary.

He then had followed his siblings and their mother out of the room whilst trying to keep himself calm as they went on to make their way to Silent City.

But he wasn't prepared for what was waiting for them. He saw Clary in front of two dead bodies, making him stumble a step in his stunned state before he brushed past everyone that was in his way, ignoring the pleas from his family as he ran to get to Clary.

His golden hues took notice of her bruised cheek along with blood that had been lightly splattered against her face, and before she could react to his presence he had already pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her as he rested his cheek against the top of her head. "Are you alright? What happened?"

Clary had still been in shock due to what had just happened, but once she saw Jace it was as if everything around them seemed to fade away, leaving just the both of them together in that moment. She closed her eyes as she inhaled his familiar scent as he held her tightly against himself. And even in the current state she was in she found herself smiling as he asked if she was alright. "Yes, I am. Especially that you're here now."

He reluctantly released her from his hold, and instead held her arms gently as he met her steady gaze, trying to speak in a gentle tone even though he was angered that she was covered in bruises and cuts. "Who did this to you? Was it them?" He inclined his head towards the two men who were lying on the ground beside them.

"One of them hit me after I voiced my opinions about them very loudly, but I wasn't worried… Not until Jonathan showed up. He's the one who took care of them." She voiced in a low murmur before she noticed movement from behind him, making her step out of his reach. She shook her head when Jace reached out for her again. "You should step away. I don't want them to punish you for no reason."

His outstretched arm fell back at his side as a look of hurt flashed across his face from her rejection to his touch, but he recovered quickly as he heard Maryse call out to him. He turned around to face her as he was still processing the fact that Jonathan had been so close, but he had failed to arrive here on time to face him, and it wasn't until a moment later that it dawned on him that Jonathan had left Clary to be faced with the repercussions of his actions that left Jace thinking back to what the Inquisitor had said earlier. Could Clary in fact be working with Jonathan and only was sent to spy on his family? No. He couldn't think that. The fact of the Inquisitor making him question Clary's motives made him clench his hands into fists as he turned his attention onto her. "You sent her off with these disloyal men, knowing that they would mistreat her for you. Isn't that right?"

The Inquisitor narrowed her eyes at Jace as she moved to stand a few feet away from him. "Are you implying that I sent Clarissa off with the knowledge of knowing that they would lay a hand on her, which resulted with her killing them?"

Jace flashed her a look of bewilderment before using his hand to motion towards the dead bodies before pointing towards Clary's bound wrists. "Oh, yes. That's exactly what I'm insinuating. Because it is so logical that she managed to kill them without the use of her hands." He voiced sarcastically.

Clary's eyes widened ever so slightly as she listened to both Jace and the Inquisitor argue back and forth before she stepped into view, making sure to show that her hands were still bound for further emphasis to what Jace had stated. "It's impossible for me to have killed them since I can't even move my hands at all without the cuffs breaking into my skin. And not to mention the obvious, but it's clear that they were killed by a seraph blade. All of my belongings are back at the institute, so how would I have killed them?"

Maryse moved to the Inquisitor's side as soon as she saw such a look of hatred crossing over her features as she glared daggers at her son and Clary. "They do have a point. There was no way that she could have killed them."

The Inquisitor looked over her shoulder to glare at Maryse. "You are still defending her! How do you know that someone that is allied with her and her brother didn't help her then made sure to vanish before we arrived?" She held up a hand to silence everyone. "Enough! Maryse, you will come with me along with the Morgenstern child to check on the Silent Brothers whilst your children stand guard here until the others arrive."

Jace watched as Clary was put in front of the Inquisitor with a blade pointed just between her shoulder blades, making him grit his teeth as he was trying his hardest to not react to that mere sight. He instead waited until Clary, Maryse, and the Inquisitor were out of sight before he turned to face his siblings. "Stay here. I've had enough of the Inquisitor's shit. I'll be damned if she allows anything to happen to Clary or Maryse."

Isabelle nodded her head as she toyed with her whip, feeling just as irritated by the Inquisitor's rash behavior. "I will call out to you if anything should happen. Just be careful."

Alec looked over at his sister in shock. "Are you insane!? We aren't going to let him go down there alone!"

Jace and Isabelle both rolled their eyes before Jace decided to be the one to state the obvious. "We all can't go down there. Someone needs to keep watch here in case Jonathan comes back."

"What!?"

"He was here? When?"

Jace withheld a sigh since they were taking up some of his precious time. "Yes, he was here. He's the one who killed those men. They harmed Clary. I will explain later. Just stay here." He turned on his heel without waiting for their replies, removing both his seraph blade and his witchlight.

His fingers curled around the stone, making him blink multiple times in order to allow his vision to adjust as he walked down the steps that led to the lower levels of Silent City.

Clary's POV

"Is it really necessary to keep that against my back? It's too dark down here and if you happen to trip... Then that's the end of me." Clary noted in an irritable manner as she tried to make her way through the darkened corridor.

Inquisitor Herondale refrained from sighing as she kept hold of her seraph blade, making sure to place the tip of it at the center of Clary's shoulder blades. "If that were to happen, I don't think it would be considered much a loss. Now be quiet."

Maryse nearly gasped as she heard what the Inquisitor had said as she made sure she was close enough to them both in case she needed to defend Clary. "She didn't mean that." She murmured to Clary.

Clary was going to voice a sarcastic remark when all of the sudden she noticed a figure against the ground. "Someone shine some light. I think there's something or someone on the floor up ahead." She murmured lowly as she tried to keep her senses on high alert in case there were any possible threats lurking around. She wouldn't put it past Jonathan to have left some of his men down here.

Maryse brushed past Clary, holding her witchlight in front of her and nearly dropped the stone when she saw the bodies of the Silent Brothers lying on the floor. "By the angel!"

"Go stand against the wall and don't you dare think about making a run for it." The Inquisitor told Clary before she went to see what Maryse was looking at. Her jaw nearly dropped open as she saw the Silent Brothers lying on the ground with their mouths open wide whilst it seemed as if they all shared the same looks of horror. But that didn't make any sense to her.

Clary was about to follow the orders she was given until she heard a rustling movement from behind her, making her turn around to face the current threat. "Someone please remove these restraints. Something is coming!" She voiced in a distressed manner.

Maryse removed her seraph blade, calling out its name as she quickly moved to stand in front of Clary whilst getting into a fighting stance. She waited anxiously for their threat to make their appearance, but what she wasn't expecting was to see that it was her son. "Jace! Why are you down here? Didn't I tell you to stay put with your siblings?" She shook her head with disapproval whilst she placed her seraph blade back in its place.

The Inquisitor elicited a sigh as she moved to grab hold of Clary's arm in a rough manner. "Maryse, I've had enough with these children not showing the proper respect to their elders nor obeying orders. I will take Clarissa into my care whilst you gather your children and whatever you may need in order to come back and stay in Idris for the time being. It will be the only safe place for our kind after the wards have been strengthened."

Maryse knew not to argue with the Inquisitor, but the look she received from Jace made her think otherwise. "I will take my children back to the institute to gather our belongings, but I will also be taking Clarissa with me. It isn't right that you have treated her like a prisoner. If this gets out that you have allowed her to come to harm there will be consequences. We do not treat our kind this way." Maryse closed the gap between herself and the Inquisitor in order to remove Clary out of her hold and then proceeded to hold her hand out. "Give me the key."

The Inquisitor was beyond angered that Maryse had spoken to her in such a way, but she knew that if the Clave or Council heard of how Clary had been treated that there would indeed be repercussions. That knowledge alone had her gritting her teeth as she removed the key from her pocket and handed it over to Maryse. "If she decides to betray us under your watch, the burden will fall on your shoulders alone." She brushed past the three of them, not bothering to listen to what they had to say as she set off to see if the rest of their cavalry had arrived.

Maryse made sure to gently remove the handcuffs from Clary's wrists, grimacing slightly as she saw how bruised her skin was. "Do you want an iratze now or when we arrive back home?"

Clary bristled ever so slightly when Maryse referred to the institute as her home. It hadn't occurred to her that the institute had become her new home, and that she had grown so used to having Maryse and her children around her. She cleared her throat before she spoke in a low tone. "I can wait until we arrive at the institute. Thank you for your concern."

Jace waited until Maryse stepped aside to allow him to pull Clary against his side, keeping her close to him as he led them to where Alec and Isabelle were waiting for their arrival.

~~

It didn't take long for Clary, Jace, and his family to arrive back at the institute. And they each immediately went on to go their separate ways to pack their things, and to her amusement, Jace had stayed with her to help her pack before he all but begged her to allow him to give her an iratze.

She had found it rather cute that he was so worried about her wellbeing. It was one of the many things she loved about him. And if she had to be truthful to herself it was the main reason she couldn't agree to aide Jonathan with his plans. She loved Jace. He was one of the few that she loved that wasn't bound to her by blood. This was a relatively new feeling to her since she had left Idris to live here.

She was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts when she noticed a hand waving in front of her face, making her blush furiously as she saw Jace smirking at her. "I'm sorry. I must have zoned out."

Jace chuckled before he spoke in an amused manner. "It's alright. I wasn't saying anything too important."

Clary was trying to hide her face from him as she waited for her face to return to its normal shade, but her curiosity was getting the best of her, making her peer over at him. "Can you kindly repeat what you were trying to tell me?"

"I was asking if you wanted to lay down to rest for a bit while I go pack my own things." He voiced in a gentle tone as he felt a rush of relief fill him when he noticed that her wounds were starting to fade almost completely.

The thought of taking a nap was too tempting, but she knew that if she laid on her bed that she wouldn't be able to get back up, so instead she shook her head. "No, I don't want to rest right now. You go on and pack your things. I want to wash up and change out of my clothes."

Jace nodded his head as he placed a gentle kiss upon her lips before flashing her a sly grin. "Try not to miss me too much."

Clary couldn't fight back a laugh as she rolled her eyes in a playful manner in response to how cheeky he was being before waving him off so she could shut her bedroom door behind him.

Within no time she had cleaned herself up and changed into a similar outfit as she had on earlier before she grabbed the bag she had packed and headed out of her bedroom where she went on to meet up with everyone else.

~~

In the end it was settled that Clary was going to be confined to the Lightwood's manor until she would leave to meet with the Council. She was never more grateful for Maryse than she was right now. It had been the very first time that she had stood up for her, and showed the softer side of herself that Clary had never seen before until today.

But of course that moment was over with when Maryse had not too kindly told Clary and Jace that they were to not sleep in the same room or be alone together without someone with them.

Jace's reaction had nearly made Clary burst out laughing because she had never seen him so embarrassed before. She was going to tease him unmercifully over that moment when she had the chance to. That silly thought had brought a smile upon her face whilst she had been in the process of unpacking her belongings, just as she heard someone knock on the door. She left her bag open as she crossed the room to open the door, arching a brow when she saw it was Jace. "Aren't you worried that Maryse will scold you for being in my room so late in the evening?" She retorted in a playful manner

Jace shook his head as he tried not to laugh in response to her comment as he strode into the room to close the distance between them. "You're never going to let me forget about that."

Clary grinned as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Nope. It was too funny."

He placed his hands at her waist, smiling down at her. "You're laughing now, but just wait until something hilarious happens to you. I will make sure to tease you like crazy."

Her verdant hues had a mischievous glint to them in response to his words. "Is that a threat?"

"Maybe. What are you going to do about it?" He replied in a husky tone as he pulled her closer against himself.

"Oh, I can think of a few things to do to you." She murmured to him before she threaded her fingers in his hair, tugging him down towards her to brush her lips against his.

Jace nearly groaned in response to her sudden action, returning her passionate kiss whilst his fingers found their way under her shirt to caress the skin of her waist.

A shiver of pleasure ran down her spine when she felt the warmth of his hands against her skin, making her teasingly nip his lower lip as she felt herself responding to his touch a little too eagerly when she had all but climbed him in order to get herself as close to him as possible.

Jace choked back a groan when she bit his lip rather harshly, making him break the kiss before he rested his forehead against hers. "We should stop." He was inwardly cursing himself since he wanted nothing more than to shut her door and bolt it in order to have his way with her.

Clary pouted when he broke their kiss, removing her arms from his neck to tilt his face up to meet her gaze. "I can take us somewhere if you still want to continue this?" She was all but begging him at this point since it felt like ages since she had been intimate with anyone. There were so many close calls for them in the past to make the next move in their relationship, but Jace was too much of a gentleman and wanted to take things slow. That was of course sweet and all, but she felt like she was going to go insane if she didn't relieve a particular ache that was currently making her clench her thighs together.

Jace closed his eyes as he tried to calm himself down enough to think over what she was suggesting, knowing that they would be in serious trouble if they got caught, but the way she had been looking at him just a moment ago was enough for him to cave. He opened his eyes, smirking in a sly manner when he saw that she already knew that he had made up his mind. "We will sneak off once everyone is in bed. I'll come and get you soon." He placed a kiss against her cheek before he left the room to allow her to finish unpacking and give him time to check in on everyone to see if they were already starting to prepare for bed.

Clary waited until Jace was out of view before she released the breath she was holding. It was finally going to happen. She all but squealed as she went on to ready herself.

~~

"Are you sure that it's safe to be here?" Jace inquired to her as he glanced over in her direction.

Clary gave his hand a gentle squeeze as she stifled the urge to laugh in response to him asking her that question once again. "Yes, I'm sure. No one is going to bother us here." She pulled him along with her as they made their way up the stairs towards her bedroom. It surprisingly wasn't weird for her to be back at her old home like she had imagined it would have been. Instead she felt at peace here. Even though there were far more unpleasant memories than good ones.

She shook those thoughts aside as she pushed open the door, letting go of Jace's hand to allow him to walk fully into the room before she both shut and locked the door behind them. "Alone at last."

A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Jace's mouth as he reached out to bring Clary into an embrace. "Are you sure you still want to go through with this?"

"I swear if you don't take me right now I will have no choice but to—" She never got to finish her threat because suddenly his lips crashed down onto hers in a fervid manner before she yelped in surprise when he had given her ass a squeeze before he lifted her up, making her wrap her legs around his waist as he walked them over towards the bed.

Jace gently laid her against the mattress before he nearly groaned when she suddenly bit down onto his lip, making him glide his tongue along her lower lip afterwards to beg for entrance whilst his hands clenched the hem of her shirt, pausing to wait for her answer.

"Just take it off already." Clary murmured in desperation as she felt there were far too many pieces of clothing between them. She then almost yelped in surprise again when he had ripped her shirt open and disposed of it. That mere action had caused her to squirm beneath him before her lips sought for his once again as she teasingly ground herself against him, shivering with delight when she heard him hiss before she parted her lips to allow his tongue to invade the confines of her mouth.

Jace returned her passionate kiss all too eagerly as his fingers caressed the now exposed flesh of her torso before he reached down to unbutton and unzip her jeans. When he felt her tense just a tad bit he broke their kiss to trail kisses down along her jaw until reaching her neck where he left delicate kisses before he playfully bit down onto her flesh, loving the noises she was releasing because of his actions. His tongue lapped at the area of skin that he bit with a little too much force as he went back to slowly removing her jeans, fighting back the urge to smirk when she eagerly lifted her hips to help him out as well as to kick off her boots. Once she was only in her undergarments he leaned back to admire her. "You look so beautiful."

Clary was all but panting by this point, and every single touch she received from him was like nothing she had ever experienced before with anyone else. She knew that she would most likely have marks against her skin where she felt him nipping and sucking at, but she would proudly wear them because those marks showed who she belonged to. It wasn't until he pulled back from her and she felt his blazing gaze upon her did she feel a flush creep over her cheeks since it dawned on her that she was so exposed in front of him. But upon hearing his sweet words she felt herself blush furthermore, making her try and hide her face.

"Hey. Don't you dare hide from me. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Everything about you is so perfect." He leaned down to place a kiss against her cheek before pulling back to peer down at her with a smile. "I love it when you blush. It's rather adorable… But if you tell anyone that I said that I will deny it." He spoke his last words jokingly. He didn't care what anyone would think about how soft he was around her.

Clary returned his smile with one of her own as she reached out to caress his cheek, feeling that her shy stage had passed since he had put her at ease. This man was beyond perfect. With that thought in mind she leaned up to place a kiss against his lips before she reached down to pull at the hem of his shirt. "This needs to go. Like now."

Jace chuckled as he happily obliged by her request by standing up to remove both his shirt and jeans. It wasn't until he had kicked aside his clothing did he notice that she was gawking at him. "You are drooling."

Clary had been so caught up with looking over his muscular form that she didn't notice that she was basically full on staring at him until he called her out on it, making her scoff. "Ladies do not drool. Now get your hot piece of ass over here."

A smirk played at his lips as he went back to hovering from above her. "So, you finally admit that I'm hot."

Clary playfully swatted his arm, glaring up at him in the process. "Oh, shush. You are well aware of your looks."

Jace started to place kisses along her neck as he reached behind her to unclasp her bra. "Of course I'm aware of that fact." He whispered huskily as he had successfully removed her bra and tossed it behind him.

Clary felt it was too unfair that she was already more exposed than him so she brazenly reached down to trail her fingers along the skin that rested just beneath the waistband of his boxers before she teasingly palmed him through the thin fabric, biting down on her lip when she heard him gasp.

Jace hadn't anticipated her next actions that caused him to emit a noise of content before he helped her push his boxers down. "Someone is eager." He whispered to her in a breathless manner before he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties, pulling it off in one fluid motion.

Her breathing hitched up when she felt him remove her panties and had to stifle a moan when she felt his fingers brush against her most sensitive area, making her curse under her breath as she squirmed against the bed. "Jace… Please…"

He pressed his lips down against hers in response to her pleas whilst he took hold of his length in his hand, teasingly trailing the tip of it in between her folds. He held back a groan when he felt how ready she was for him and just as he had positioned himself at her entrance he stiffened as a thought occurred to him. "Shit."

Clary had been biting down on her lip so harshly as he had been teasing her so badly. And just as she felt the tip of his cock press against her entrance in a dewy kiss she felt him pause, which almost made her cry out in frustration before she realized what he had said. "Now what's wrong?"

"You don't happen to have a condom lying around?" He was beyond annoyed with himself that in his rush he had forgotten the most important thing.

Clary felt that he was about to move away from her, making her grit her teeth as she tightened her legs around his waist. "Don't you dare think about leaving me like this. I'm more than protected. Now start moving. Please." And with that being said she pulled him down onto her and stopped whatever protest he was about to do when their mouths found one another's.

Jace didn't find it in himself to even fight with her when she had been so demanding. It had made him even more aroused. And just as he felt their lips collide he slowly forced himself into her, pausing when he heard her gasp.

Clary hadn't been able to see just what he had been packing earlier, but she sure found out in that moment. As soon as she had adjusted to his size she wiggled her hips for him to know to continue on.

Jace buried his face against her neck as he slowly pulled out of her almost completely then proceeded to slowly push his way back within her, making sure to fill her to the very brim as he continued that action. He didn't know how long he would be able to last since she was clamping down on him almost painfully with how tight she was.

A chorus of soft moans emitted from her lips as she clung onto his back as she tried to match his movements with her own. It wasn't until he had shifted that she suddenly found herself whimpering as her fingers dug into his back in response to him hitting her sweet spot.

Jace groaned lowly in response to her nails slightly dragging down his back when he had successfully found the spot that had drove her wild. Encouraged by that response he began to speed up his movements as one hand gripped her waist to keep her in place before he bit down at the pulse of her neck.

Clary moaned his name when she felt his teeth bite at her pulse as his thrusts became a little faster and harder, making her cling onto him even tighter as she felt her walls begin to spasm around him.

He shivered in response to hearing his name spill from her lips as he felt her walls contracting around him, knowing she was so close as he was too. He brought his lips back onto hers and murmured her name in between kisses before he released his hold on her waist in order to reach in between them to teasingly rub her clit.

Clary whimpered once more in response to his fingers working her in unison with his thrusts, making her clumsily break their kiss as she threw her head back against the bed, digging her nails into his back as she felt herself finally reach her climax, screaming his name out as she rode out the rest of her high.

Jace watched as a look of ecstasy flashed across her features as she cried out as she reached her climax, making him follow suit with a low groan as he continued to work his way in and out of her whilst gradually slowing his motions to a halt. He carefully pulled out of her before he laid down beside her, gently pulling her against his side as he cradled her whilst her body trembled with aftershocks from her climax. He placed a kiss against the top of her head when he felt her press her body more comfortably against him.

Clary was attempting to calm her breathing as she basked in the warmth coming from Jace's body and before she knew what she was about to say it was already too late. "I love you." She said in a mere whisper.

Jace stilled for a brief moment when he tried to relay what she had just said, thinking he had heard her wrong. He reached down to tilt her face up, his golden hues skimming along her face as she met his gaze. "W-what did you just say?" He stammered out.

Clary bit down on her lip as she hesitated on repeating herself before she mustered up the courage to repeat herself more loudly. "I said that I love you." She tensed in his hold as she waited for his reply, and within a passing moment she was rewarded with a look of admiration upon his features.

"I love you too, Clary. More than I've ever loved anyone before." He replied in an amorous tone.

A jubilant smile played at her lips as she spared him a glance for another moment before she hid her face against his chest just as his arm wrapped around her to keep her against him. She was going to tell him something, but she was stopped by a yawn which made him laugh.

"Let's get some sleep. I'll make sure to wake us in a little while so we can go back to the others." He said to her in a gentle tone before he reached out to grab the comforter to wrap around them.

Clary soon found herself getting sleepy from the rather exhausting days she had so recently. She was the most content that she had ever been in so long. And it was because of him. It should have terrified her that she admitted to loving him, but in this sweet moment with him, she couldn't find herself regretting a thing. She didn't know if this could be their last moment together with just the both of them, so she would take advantage. "Goodnight, Jace."

"Goodnight, Clary." He whispered in her ear before they both fell into a peaceful sleep.

 ** _Here is the update I promised. I hope it didn't disappoint, and I apologize for any errors. It's rather late here, but I tried to read through and edit as much as I could._**


	14. Council meeting

"I'm going to be fine. Now stop worrying so much." Clary retorted in an exasperated manner when Jace was making sure that she wasn't anxious or worried for what felt like the millionth time to her ever since they had awoken in each others embrace. It was due to the fact that she was going to a Council meeting soon. She initially wanted to get out of the house without Jace noticing since she figured he would still be napping like she had been after they successfully snuck back into the manor, but he had some kind of radar or something that informed him of whenever she was on the move because within no time he had managed to exit his room in time to block her path when she had been making her way downstairs to meet with Maryse.

Jace refrained from sighing and instead offered her a subtle smile as he hugged her once again. "I know you're going to be more than fine. I just hate that I can't go with you."

Clary leaned up on her tiptoes to place a kiss against the corner of his mouth. "Let's just hope that the meeting goes smoothly, and within no time I'll be back at your side." As she was speaking she had begun to trail her fingers down along his chest whilst a prurient smirk played at her lips. "Because I still have some needs that weren't fulfilled last night, and I hope you're fully rested so we can continue on in my bedroom later today."

Jace looked around to make sure no one was around before his hands traveled down her back until his hands rested against her ass, giving it a gentle squeeze before he smirked in a sly manner when he heard her yelp. "Oh, really? I was under the impression that I met your every needs last night, especially since you got rather loud near the end." He replied in a cheeky manner.

Clary hadn't been expecting that bold move he had just made, but that didn't stop her traitorous body from responding to his touch. "Careful, Jace. You wouldn't want to start something that you can't finish right now."

His golden hues shone with excitement as he smirked furthermore. "I'm more than willing to get things started and finished right here in the open, but if you are afraid about getting caught then I guess we can wait until another time?"

Clary scoffed as she set her jaw in a stubborn stance whilst she glared up at him. "I'm not afraid of anything."

"Prove it." He retorted as a challenge, thinking that she wouldn't be so bold.

Clary didn't bother to look around to see if they had an audience and instead she took him by surprise as she pounced on him, wrapping her legs around his waist as her lips found his in a fervid manner.

Jace was momentarily caught off guard, making him stumble back slightly, but within a second he recovered in time to cup her ass in order to keep hold of her as he managed to part her lips in order to slip his tongue in her mouth before he nearly groaned when she immediately ground herself against him.

Clary choked back a moan when his fingers dug into her flesh after she had teasingly ground herself against him, and if that mere action alone wasn't enough to excite her, the moment she felt him take charge by turning them until her back was suddenly pressed against the wall had finally caused a noise of contentment to spill from her lips. Within a moment she recovered enough to bite down on his lip and was rewarded with a low groan, making a shiver of pleasure travel down her spine.

Jace was about to take it a step further to see if she would make him stop and prove his point that he was right about her being worried about being caught like this, but what he didn't expect was to hear someone gasp so loudly from behind him. He froze as he broke their kiss and forced himself to look over his shoulder in the direction of the person who had caught them in the hallway.

Clary was about to protest when he suddenly broke their kiss and was starting to set her down on her feet, but that was when she noticed that they weren't alone anymore. "Maryse." She squeaked.

Jace made sure Clary was standing upright on her own just fine before he turned around to face Maryse with a sheepish expression. "Good morning?"

Maryse was beyond fuming right now in response to the scene she happened to come across. She shook her head in disbelief as she glared at Jace for a moment before she turned her attention onto Clary. "It's time to leave. I will meet you at the front door after I have a word with my son."

Clary flashed an apologetic smile at Jace before she scurried off and wordlessly went on to do as she was told whilst she was currently blushing so furiously.

~~

The walk towards the Gard was rather awkward to say the least. Clary still felt a little unnerved to be in Maryse's presence alone, but she wasn't about to let her know that she was slightly intimidated by her.

Maryse cleared her throat and tried not to react when she noticed that Clary had jumped in alarm in response to that sudden action. "I'm hoping that I don't need to remind you about how important this meeting is." She noted dryly.

Clary spared a glance in Maryse's direction before she released a low sigh. "I'm well aware that this is a serious matter. I'm going to tell them exactly what they want to know, and deal with whatever punishment they seem fit for me. It's not like they're going to trust me, no matter what I say anyway."

Maryse refrained from sighing as she knew that Clary's words were true, but she admired how strong she was. "You remind me so much of my son with how you carry yourself." She murmured more to herself, but she knew that Clary would have heard her.

Clary arched a brow as she peered over at Maryse with mild interest showing upon her features. "And how exactly do you think I carry myself?"

The corner of Maryse's lip twitched as she fought back a subtle smile. "You're just as headstrong, brave, and sometimes rather reckless. It's rather amusing that you both actually get along instead of always butting heads all the time."

A dulcet laugh escaped Clary's lips in response to Maryse's comment. "Oh, but we do. It's just that we usually settle our disagreements during our training exercises, and by the time that those are over, we are already back on good terms… Well not immediately when it's times that I get the best of Jace."

Maryse couldn't help but laugh as she pictured the look upon Jace's face that she had seen so much when he was younger when he would be upset that he failed at something. "Oh, I wish I was there to see that. Sometimes that boy can get so smug at times. It's good that you put him in his place when he needs to be. I'm very pleased that he has someone else in his life that makes him happy besides his family."

Clary almost tripped over her own two feet in response to how shocked she was when she had heard Maryse actually laugh in front of her along with her touching words. She had never heard that woman laugh at all since she'd been staying with the Lightwoods, but she liked this side of her, which made Clary grin. "If they are lenient with the decision of what to do with me by the end of this meeting, I promise to let you have a front row seat to watch us fight. Just make sure to bring tissues in case I hurt him too badly and make him cry." She murmured with a playful lilt, and was happily rewarded with another laugh. And soon their walk wasn't awkward anymore.

~~

Clary was surprised at how calm she felt as the both of them had made their way into the Council Hall. She took notice at how eerie it almost was in response to how quiet and deserted it was at the moment, but she didn't dwell upon that fact as she was then led through the doors, and was instructed to stand in the center of the room in order for her to face her current audience.

That particular audience would consist of the members of the New Council that were carefully selected individuals to represent each Downworlder faction, meaning the fey, werewolves, vampires, and warlocks. She knew that this new Council was probably one of the many reasons that Jonathan wanted to make his new change to their world, but it didn't bother Clary at all. She actually thought it made sense that matters involving Downworlders should allow the input from their own kind in order for the issues to be resolved more fairly. And with that final thought being cleared up, she tried to clear her head as she noticed the others that were seated by the Council, which were the Inquisitor, and the Consul. She had to refrain from grimacing when she saw Inquisitor Herondale, and instead allowed her verdant hues to skim along the now seated individuals until her gaze rested onto Luke. He was the only person at that table that she was actually happy to see, but what she wasn't expecting was to see that her mother was seated right beside him. She was momentarily confused as to why she would have been asked to come here until it dawned on her that of course they would want the one responsible for bringing herself and Jonathan into the world. She turned her attention back to the matter at hand when she heard someone clear their throat in order to grab everyone's attention, watching as a tall man stood up from the table before he spoke in a stern-like manner.

"We are all gathered here today to discuss the current threat that is targeting not only the Nephilim, but the Downworlders as well. It has come to our attention that Jonathan Morgenstern has now two Mortal Instruments in his current possession." He turned his attention onto the Inquisitor before he took a seat. "You may relay what you have informed me of earlier to our fellow peers now."

"What was just stated is true, but I believe that Jonathan may be receiving some help with his current actions, which is why Clarissa Morgenstern is here today." The Inquisitor averted her gaze upon Clary with a slight glare. "If you wish to defend yourself, now is the time."

Clary tried to keep a blank expression whilst also refraining from rolling her eyes out of annoyance since the Inquisitor was still managing to rile her up, and that's how she had missed when it was said that Jonathan had two items in his possession. "I know it only seems logical to think that I would be aiding my brother, but that isn't the case. I agreed to the trial by Sword in order to prove that I am innocent, so if I were helping him as many probably believe. Why would I even offer that option? Do you think that I'm some kind of masochistic, and want to be hurt by The Sword in response to its repercussions if I were to be lying while holding it? Because if that's what you're thinking then that would be quite absurd. " She surprised herself with how mellow her tone managed to be even though she was being sarcastic towards the end.

The Inquisitor's lips twitched as she fought back the urge to smirk. "It's funny how you just referred to the use of the Mortal Sword, because it mysteriously vanished the day the Silent Brothers were killed rather unmercifully."

Clary was caught off guard by this sudden revelation, but then as she thought back to her last encounter with Jonathan it hadn't occurred to her to find it odd that he had been heavily armed and she recalled seeing something that was strapped onto him. It was that mere thought that almost made her groan aloud. This would just raise more suspicion for her. She didn't know how to even go about defending herself until she realized she had some rather juicy information that would be able to save her ass for the time being, so instead she shrugged her shoulder as if she was unfazed by what was just stated before she held the Inquisitor's gaze. "That's new information to me, and before you even try to say that I had something to do with the Mortal Sword being stolen. I do recall very clearly that my wrists were rather bound too tightly with the handcuffs that you demanded to be placed on me during the time." Clary almost smiled triumphantly when she heard a chorus of gasps throughout the room along with the smug look being removed from the Inquisitor's face.

The Consul raised a hand to silence everyone before he directed his attention to the Inquisitor. "Is it true that you ordered Clarissa to be bound?"

Before Clary could allow the Inquisitor to even try to defend herself, she cleared her throat to grab the Consul's attention. "I may have forgotten to add that she also had two guards escort me to Silent City in order to stay a night down in their prison. Oh, and I almost forgot the best part. One of the guards got a little too handsy with me during that time as well. I'm thankful that an iratze was able to fix up my injuries, but my internal scars from that incident will probably not heal as easily." She made sure there was a subtle doleful lilt around her last remarks, hoping that would earn her some brownie points.

Not even a moment had passed when all hell broke loose. She was escorted out of the Council Hall in order to allow the adults to handle the Inquisitor, but as she was leaving she heard the most vile thing she's ever heard spill from Jocelyn's lips, which made Clary choke back a laugh as she imagined the look on the Inquisitor's face in response to that comment.

~~

Just as she was beginning to become bored from all the waiting she turned around in response to hearing a door open, watching as Jocelyn was striding over towards where she was sitting.

Jocelyn had closed the distance between them within no time and had taken a seat on the step beside her daughter before she reached out to caress Clary's cheek in a tentative manner. "Did one of them really lay a hand of you?"

Clary tried not to flinch when she felt Jocelyn caress her cheek, and shrugged her shoulder in a casual manner when she heard what was asked. "It wasn't anything that I couldn't handle. More of a love tap than anything."

Jocelyn sighed softly as she pulled her hand away. "I should have been there to protect you. I'm sorry."

Clary peered over to look at her, seeing as a look of remorse was displaying on her features, and with a sigh of her own she reached out to grasp Jocelyn's hand. "Don't be sorry. I'm a big girl now and I don't need someone to watch over me anymore."

Jocelyn stilled for a moment out of shock when she felt Clary grasp her hand, making tears fill her eyes in response to her actions. "You're right. But I will always feel the need to protect you. No matter how old you are."

It wasn't until now that they were sharing this moment together that Clary felt old wounds beginning to open up again. She didn't like feeling angry at her mom, and to be honest she wanted nothing more than to cry her little heart out as her mom held her, but she knew that had to wait for another time. In the meantime she knew what she had to do to help mend their relationship. "I'm sorry for how I acted the last time that we saw each other. I was just in shock when I saw you lying on the floor, and I didn't want to believe that Jonathan was doing such terrible things. Do you think you could ever forgive me?"

"That's all in the past. There's nothing for me to forgive you for. I love you so much, Clary. I always will. And I promise from now on that I will be a better mother to you." Jocelyn retorted in a gentle tone.

"Oh, mom!" Clary cried out as she immediately threw herself against Jocelyn, not caring if anyone saw this moment between them. She didn't know how much she needed her mom until now.

Jocelyn hugged Clary so tightly as she fought back tears whilst she rubbed her daughter's back. "Shh… Everything will be okay. I won't let anything happen to you."

Clary sniffed as she willed herself to blink back traitorous tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks whilst she allowed herself to enjoy this little moment for a short while, and once she felt she had fully composed herself, she leaned back to peer up at Jocelyn. "We should probably get back inside, right?"

Jocelyn shook her head as a faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "They can wait a little longer. You take all the time you need, and then we will go back inside."

~~

The meeting had been dismissed for the day and it was determined that Clary was to stay under the supervision of Jocelyn and Luke in the meantime.

The Inquisitor had been removed from her case, which delighted Clary since she wouldn't have to see her any time soon. The Council and the Consul were going to have another meeting the following morning with hopes that they could manage to get more information, and give Clary time to see if she could be of help to think of what her brother's next move would be.

It also turned out that Clary, Jocelyn, and Luke would be staying at a relatives house, and to Clary's utter surprise she was actually looking forward to spending some time with Jocelyn, but what she wasn't expecting was to be now seated at a table about to have a discussion with Jocelyn. She was trying not to fidget as she waited for Jocelyn to return with their two cups of tea.

"I know that you've had a long day, and probably aren't in the mood to talk anymore, but I don't want to have any more secrets between us. Can you promise that you'll keep an open mind, and won't overreact to some things that I'm about to tell you?" Jocelyn inquired as she set down the two cups of tea beside the food that Luke's sister, Amatis had made for them.

Clary reached out to grab her cup of tea, lifting it to carefully take a sip of its contents even though it was hot. She needed to calm her nerves before the discussion began. "I promise that I will hear you out before I say anything."

Jocelyn clutched her cup of tea as she looked down at the table before she took in a deep breath to center herself. "I assume that over the years that your father has said some things about me, but it's time you've heard my side of the story."

Clary nodded for her to continue on as she kept her word of staying quiet whilst she had begun to eat her food.

"I know you may find this hard to believe, but I really did love your father so much. He was way different back when we were younger, and he had everyone wrapped around his finger at the time. It wasn't until his parents had passed away that resulted in his slow downfall. He became obsessed with taking on missions, claiming that he couldn't stand for this world to be corrupted by those that he thought weren't worthy of being here amongst our kind. At the time I figured that he was just taking his oath as a shadowhunter extremely serious, and I followed his lead as well as our closest friends. Then some time had passed and I became pregnant with Jonathan. It began like a typical pregnancy until I had started to suffer from the most terrible nightmares. Your father would try and help me by making me an assortment of concoctions that helped very little." She paused to take a drink of her tea as she felt a feeling of dread wash over her when she knew the worst part of her story was about to be said.

Clary was fully engrossed in the story by this point whilst her mind was racing with the possible ideas of what Jocelyn was going to say next, but it was then that she realized a look of distress upon her face which made her reach out to rest her hand against hers. "It's okay if you don't want to continue on right now. I will understand."

Jocelyn felt at ease as soon as Clary grasped her hand, giving her the strength she needed. "No, I'm alright. I have to say this now before I don't get a chance to. As I stated a moment ago, I suffered from nightmares throughout my entire pregnancy, but one in particular had scared me the most. I dreamt that your father was torturing innocent Downworlders in order to use them for such horrible experiments. I didn't want to face him the next morning, but of course things don't always go as planned, because that was the day that Jonathan came into the world. I had been so happy when I found out that I was expecting, and from the very beginning I knew that I was going to have a boy. I was lucky to have been able to have one good dream that was about my baby that made me even more happy, but that feeling was gone the moment I laid eyes upon my baby after the most excruciating hours of labor. He didn't look like the beautiful baby boy that I had grown to love so much." She gripped onto Clary's hand more tightly as she choked back a sob in response to remembering that day.

Clary was beyond in shock by this point. She could easily see how much sorrow was being shown from her mom, but that didn't stop her from feeling so hurt by the fact that it seemed as if Jocelyn had discarded of Jonathan so easily. "Why didn't you love him the way he came out? Your motherly love shouldn't have changed just because he didn't meet the expectations you had because of that dream. Your blood runs through his veins just as it does in mine, so you should have loved him as much as you love me." She winced a bit when she noticed that her tone had started from gentle and ended with an almost venomous manner.

Jocelyn lifted her free hand up to wipe away the stray tears that managed to escape her eyes before she turned her gaze back onto Clary as an humorless laugh escaped her lips. "That's where you're wrong. It's not my blood or your father's blood that runs through his veins."

Clary's brows knitted in confusion as she pulled her hand away from Jocelyn's grasp as she choked back a gasp. "I don't get what you're saying. He's my brother and you gave birth to him. So, how could he not be blood related to you or father. You're not making any sense."

Jocelyn smiled meekly as she spoke in a neutral tone. "Yes, you're right that it only seems logical to think that he is my son since I gave birth to him, but when I was carrying him in my womb, your father had been devising a plan unbeknownst to anyone at the time, and it was far too late to have stopped him because he had already been exposing both me and Jonathan to the most vile substance imaginable, which was demons blood, but not just from any demon. It was the blood of Lilith. That is why I couldn't bear the sight of Jonathan. He wasn't my precious baby anymore. He was your father's and Lilith's darkest creation, and as I feared it seems that all of his humanity has been burned out by the other part of himself."

Clary bolted upright, knocking her chair over in the process as she looked at Jocelyn with a look of horror displaying on her features. "No. You're lying. That can't be true! There is still good in him! I've seen it throughout all of the time that I've been with him. That is how I know that there's still a chance to save him."

Jocelyn stood up from the table, making sure to hold her hands up in a defenseless manner as to not trigger Clary any further. "I'm sorry that, that's not what you wanted to hear, but it's the truth, and before you stand there and try to make me feel even more horrible than I already felt for so many years, you need to listen to me. I tried to raise Jonathan into a sweet boy that I wish he could be, but there was too much corruption within him that I couldn't save him, and when I caught wind that your father was experimenting on another pregnant lady that happened to live near us, I was preparing myself to leave immediately. I didn't want him to experiment on another child of mine, but of course things don't always go as planned. I had waited too long and my other baby had already been exposed to her father's latest experiment." Her voice cracked near the end as she watched as multiple emotions flashed across Clary's features before a look of clarity stayed put there.

"Are you saying that my blood has been tainted in the same way as Jonathan's?" Clary was starting to feel physically ill and it didn't help that she felt as if the room was starting to spin.

Jocelyn shook her head. "No, you were not exposed to demon blood. Instead you were exposed to something far greater, and that has something to do with how you have exceeded past anyone's expectations and how you're able to do such imaginable things."

Clary pinched her eyes shut as she tried her hardest to stay focused. "No, that can't be true. I'm just like every other shadowhunter except I was just trained differently."

"Oh, my sweet little girl. I wish that were true, but you have to see that what I am saying is the truth. Haven't you done something that you know deep down that no one else could do except yourself?"

It was then that realization hit her so hard that the breath was almost knocked out of her. How could she be so stupid? The truth of her mother's words were resting in her mind. There were two things that she could do that no one else could. That was creating portals, and making her own runes. This was too much information for her to handle, but she knew that she needed one last answer before she dropped this conversation all together. "What exactly are you accusing my father of doing to me?"

Jocelyn took in a deep breath to calm herself as she spoke in a hushed tone. "He exposed you to a blood of an angel."

Clary couldn't believe what was just said, and wanted nothing more than to get away and be alone to be able to process everything that happened today. "I need some time to myself." She murmured to Jocelyn, waiting until she nodded before she turned on her heel and made her way towards the guest bedroom where she proceeded to shut and lock the door before she all but threw herself onto the bed, turning until she was lying on her back in the fully darkened room.

Was everything that her mother had just told her the truth? She wouldn't… No, she couldn't believe that both her and Jonathan were only some sort of experiments to their father. He had to have loved them right?

Her head was starting to hurt, and as she tried to get comfortable on the bed she found it was useless since her current attire was too constricting. She reached out to turn on the lamp that was on the bedside table before she forced herself out of bed in order to change into her pajamas before she shut the light off and got under the covers.

She pinched her eyes shut, but within a moment her mind was a mess when every detail of the day was flowing through it. It was too much for her to handle, and as if her mind finally agreed with that thought, it had allowed her drift off into a sleep with the hopes of forgetting today's events for as long as she could.

~~

A soft noise emitted from her lips as she turned onto her side before she reached out blindly to grasp the edge of the blanket since she must have uncovered herself during some point of the night, which was why she had awoken feeling so cold. Only her hand didn't collide with the soft material, but instead something rather sturdy, making her gasp, but what she didn't expect was to be suddenly laid flat onto her back with something pressing against her mouth to keep her quiet. That didn't stop her from proceeding to thrash against the bed as she tried to kick whoever was now resting above her.

"Calm down. It's only me." Jace murmured in a low tone.

Clary went still as she heard the familiar lilt of his voice, making her feel immediately calm down a bit, because she had feared it had been someone else that was with her.

Jace removed his hand from her mouth and was in the middle getting himself off of her, but that was when he felt her punch his shoulder. "Hey! What was that for?" He inquired as a smirk was tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Clary huffed as she felt him move to lay beside her. "It was for nearly giving me a panic attack."

Jace turned on his side before gently bringing her to rest her back against his chest, and proceeded to place a kiss against her hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Despite her earlier panic, she now felt at peace in response to being in his embrace. She smiled in a content manner before she spoke in a hushed tone. "Not that I'm not happy that you're here… But do you have some kind of death wish or something?"

Jace tried to contain his laughter in response to her comment. "No, I don't have a death wish. Why do you ask?"

Clary smiled furthermore when she felt his chest rumble against her back in response to his silent laughter. "Well I thought you did, because if my mom walks in on us like this… I don't think I could keep you safe from her wrath."

He brushed her hair aside in order to nuzzle his face against her neck, closing his eyes as he breathed in her familiar scent. "Mm.. It would be worth it though. As soon as I found out where you were staying I came over, and I couldn't bring myself to wake you up though. I missed you. "

Clary shivered in response to feeling his warm breath caress her skin, making her press herself against him a bit more. "I missed you too, but now I don't think I'm going to be able to relax and go back to sleep if you keep teasing me like that." She murmured in a slightly breathless manner.

Jace smirked deviously as a sudden thought flitted through his mind, making him pull away from her slowly before he gently turned her so she was lying on her back. "I think I know how to help with that."

Clary arched a brow as she was more than confused when he had pulled away from her before she allowed him to help her get onto her back. She was about to ask what he had in mind, but she stopped as soon as she felt his fingers hook into the waistband of her pajama shorts. "Jace…"

He felt her stiffen ever so slightly when he had begun to tug her shorts down, causing him to pause his actions to go on to place gentle kisses against her inner thigh. "Yes, Clary?" He inquired in a rough tone before he continued on with his gentle kisses until she had relaxed.

Clary bit down on her lip in order to muffle a moan when she felt his lips begin to trail kisses along her inner thighs, which caused her to blank out momentarily before she realized he had said something. "Umm… Shit… We shouldn't." She stammered out in a rather embarrassingly manner.

Jace nearly chuckled when he heard her stammer over her reply to him. "Are you sure? Because I think you want me to continue on."

Clary's thoughts were all clouded as she was trying to think straight. She knew that it was far too risky to do anything of this nature whilst her family was in the home, but on the other hand the mere thought of being caught was a little too enticing to pass up. "Don't even think about stopping now. It's far too late for that."

This time he did chuckle in response to how eager she suddenly was, which only encouraged him more as he rid her of both her shorts and panties in one fluid motion before he went back to trailing kisses up her thighs until he was now at his intended mark.

Clary's breathing hitched up ever so slightly as she felt him work his way up until he reached where she was so desperate for him to be. She almost lost it when she felt his mouth go straight to work, making her forget everything as she allowed herself to enjoy this most pleasurable moment in the midst of her chaotic life. She deserved a reward after everything she had just been through, right? At least that's what she told herself in order to justify this moment.

And within no time, Jace kept his word, and soon enough she was beyond exhausted. She playfully tugged at his hair to signal for him to come back up to her where she then kissed him in an amorous manner before she let him go in order for him to strip out of his clothes. She smiled to herself when she felt him get into bed behind her before he got them back into their spooning position. "I love you." She replied in a sleepy manner.

"I love you too, Clary. Now get some sleep. I promise that I'll be here when you wake up." He murmured lowly before he too closed his eyes and went to sleep.


	15. The choice

The following morning hadn't gone as smoothly as Clary had hoped. She intended to be able to have a few more lovey dovey moments with her man before they parted ways for the day, but as usual nothing ever goes as planned in her chaotic life. Instead they were both awoken by the sounds of someone banging on the bedroom door.

That certain someone turned out to be Jocelyn whom was now informing her daughter through the closed door that their meeting had been rescheduled last minute, which caused the couple to jump out of bed in order to get themselves dressed and prepared to leave the house.

And let's just say that Jocelyn's reaction in response to witnessing a boy exiting her daughter's bedroom wasn't pretty. It looked like Jace wasn't going to be on her good side any time soon, but of course Clary tried to make it all better by blocking him from her mother's line of vision throughout their entire walk towards the Gard in response to Jace not taking no for answer when they told him that it wasn't a good idea if he came along, but of course he was just as stubborn as her. And to be honest she found it rather amusing that he actually had the balls to stand his ground in front of her mother. He definitely earned himself some brownie points from that stunt.

But as soon as they arrived at the Gard, Clary's amusement faded gradually until all she felt was a rush of uneasiness that flowed through her entire core as if she somehow knew that the people waiting in the room were about to deliver some terrible news, and her instincts had turned out to be correct. To say that she was shocked would've been an understatement.

She didn't want to believe the Consul when he had informed them all that Jonathan was behind the recent deaths of four Downworlders. That revelation alone let her know that as soon as this news spread that it would have been useless for her to even attempt to bring Jonathan back to the their side because she knew that no one would be able to forgive him after this little stunt. It only proved his hatred for Downworlders even more.

And just when she thought that this discussion couldn't get any worse, she reluctantly had to turn her attention towards the person that had suddenly cleared their throat in order to grab everyone's attention, watching as the one known as Magnus Bane arose from his seat with a grim expression upon his face, which didn't help settle how anxious she was slowly becoming with each passing second, making her grateful that she had her family and Jace here with her to help her stay as grounded as possible.

"When I heard of the recent killings, I took it upon myself to do some research since I had a sudden hunch on why each of these victims were chosen, along with the particular way that they each were killed. But I have to warn you all that what I found out will shock you all as much as it managed to shock even myself." Magnus paused to pass his fingers through his hair as he tried to take in a calming breath as he was about to tell them the unimaginable.

Clary wasn't in the mood for his theatrical pause, causing her to slam her hand down onto the table, which made everyone jump in alarm. "Just spit it out already." She spoke through clenched teeth as she prepared herself for the worst.

Magnus waved a dismissive hand in her direction, seeming unfazed by her sudden outburst, but that didn't stop the corner of his mouth from quirking up into a half-hearted smirk as his gaze settled upon Clary for a brief moment. "I like you, biscuit. You're such a little spitfire." He winked at her in a playful manner when he saw her reaction to his words before addressing the other people in the room. "Now as I was about to say before I was rudely interrupted... It seems that Jonathan has managed to complete the Ritual of Infernal Conversion."

Everyone looked at Magnus as if he was speaking some unknown language to them all, making him release an exasperated sigh before he made a swift motion with his hand, making a withered looking book appear out of thin air. He proceeded to open it to a certain page before pointing to a diagram. "The ritual is done by seething the Mortal Sword until it is red-hot before it is then cooled down four times with the aid of the blood from each Downworlder child, which it seems he has managed to do. From what I gathered from the information from this text is that the Sword's angelic alignment is reversed, which turns it darker in nature, and is equally powerful as its once angelic purpose."

Clary felt the early signs of a dizzy spell about to hit her as she took in all the information that Magnus was saying. She felt even worse when she caught a glimpse of some rather gruesome images that were displayed on one of the pages of the book that was currently angled closer towards her line of vision. She cleared her throat as she averted her gaze back onto Magnus whilst willing herself to stay strong, and managed to speak in a resolute manner. "What will he be able to do now that the ritual is complete?"

Magnus elicited another sigh as he met Clary's gaze. "As the owner of the Sword he will be able to control demons, and even have the ability to summon hordes of demons that will have no choice, but to abide by his every command, whether they want to or not."

Everyone in the room went completely still as they now fully understood how severe their current predicament was.

"There is no need for anyone to get riled up. The wards will protect us." The Consul replied immediately as soon as he saw everyone starting to get worked up over what Magnus had disclosed to them.

Jocelyn removed her hand from her mouth, shaking her head as she tried her best to keep her composure intact. "You're wrong, Consul. The wards won't be enough to protect anyone from Jonathan's wrath. He is a patient hunter, and he will find a way to break the wards down. I know it."

The Consul scoffed as he looked over at Jocelyn before he scowled. "Enough with that nonsense. The wards have protected us for ages, and always will. There is no way anyone can break them down."

Clary inhaled sharply as she realized that there was an actual way for Jonathan to be able to interfere with the wards. "You need to warn everyone before it's too late! He could be on his way now with hoards of demons. Every elderly person and child need to be brought here immediately whilst everyone else who is able to fight gets themselves prepared for battle."

Luke stepped around Jocelyn in order to wrap his arm around Clary. "The Consul is right, Clary. The wards will protect us. There is no way that Jonathan can bring them down, and no reason to cause such panic when we don't know what he's actually going to do now." He said in a soothing tone as he rubbed her arm gently in order to calm her.

Clary pulled away from Luke as she shook her head in defiant manner. "He's not normal like us. He will be able to break down the wards from right under our noses. He will always have the right to enter Idris because he is a Shadowhunter, but it's what lies within him that will let him bring those demons here. Now stop wasting time with arguing over who is right because we need to get everyone prepared for the worst." By the end of her speech, Clary was all but seething in response to no one listening to her.

Magnus arched a brow in a curious manner as he looked over at Clary whilst he drummed his fingers against the table in response to his sudden interest on one particular thing that she had mentioned. "How is he different from your kind?"

"Clary, don't you dare answer that question." Jocelyn voiced in an anxious tone.

Clary chewed on her lip as she witnessed the look upon her mother's face, knowing that she was worried if she disclosed this certain information that they would find out about what her father did to her as well, but deep down she knew that this needed to be said. "My father experimented on Jonathan when he was an infant by exposing him to blood of a greater demon, which has given him certain abilities that none of our own kind has. That information alone is how I know that he will do whatever he can with his greater abilities to find a way to break the wards in order to allow his army to enter our city."

The Consul turned his attention onto Jocelyn with a look of horror flashing across his face. "Is this true?"

"Yes, it is." Jocelyn voiced in a pained tone.

"And what about your other child? Did your husband do anything to her?" The Consul snapped as he pointed a finger in the direction of Clary.

That had been the final straw for Jace, making him step closer to Clary as he prepared himself to defend her if needed be. "Clary is just like the rest of us. Don't even dare try to compare her to Jonathan. When all she has been doing since the very beginning is try to help us. It would be wise to listen to her since she knows him better than any of us in this room." He replied curtly to the Consul, feeling angered that he was assuming the worst about Clary.

Clary reached out to squeeze Jace's hand to let him know that she appreciated that he was trying to defend her honor, but that didn't stop her from replying in a haughty-like manner in response to the Consul speaking of her as if she wasn't in the room. "I'm right here you know. And to answer your question—" She didn't get to finish her reply when all of the sudden the entrance door of the hall was thrown open, revealing people that were now trying to run into the room all at once, but what caused Clary to become alarmed was how frightened they all appeared. It was then that she knew that her earlier worries were now coming true.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Consul retorted in a furious tone.

Clary felt her throat constrict when she witnessed a mother trying to comfort her children when they seemed to be so grief stricken, which made her look over her shoulder to glare at the Consul. "I warned you that this would happen, but now it's too late to prepare people. And I hope you're satisfied that you put lives at risk instead of taking my word, and giving everyone a fighting chance." She said through clenched teeth before she brushed past everyone in her path as she stalked off towards the exit.

Jace was right at her heels, reaching out in time to grasp her arm in order to pull her to an abrupt stop. "Clary wait! You can't just go out there without a plan. You'll get yourself killed."

Clary tried to break out of his hold as she felt her breathing accelerating in response to the distant cries she was now aware of. "I have a plan. Kill everything in sight. Now will you please let go of me?"

Jace withheld a sigh as he reluctantly pulled out a weapon before he released his hold on her. "Fine. I'll go along with this reckless plan of yours, but if I should die because of this, I promise I will come back and haunt you forever. Especially if there are any new male suitors in your life."

Even through this horrid ordeal, she found herself almost smiling. "The same goes for you if this doesn't go as planned. Now let's do this together." She held out her hand for him to take hold of, lacing their fingers together before they broke out into a run to face the unknown.

~~

Clary cursed under her breath as she watched her last dagger being destroyed after being embedded within a demon. She didn't have time to mourn its lost because she barely had the chance to pull out her seraph blade in time to strike a demon that was in the process of attacking an elderly man. What she wasn't expecting was for it to cower away from her as soon as it saw her, but that didn't stop her from killing it. She then knelt down to place her fingers against the man's throat, trying not to grimace when she found that he hadn't made it.

Jace had just finished disposing of two other demons before he raced back to Clary, helping her to her feet whilst scanning the area for any other possible threats. "Are you alright?"

Clary nodded as she leaned against Jace, trying to catch her breath. "He was just an old man."

Jace placed a kiss against the top of her head to attempt to comfort her. "I think it's time that we head back. I don't see anyone else."

Clary nodded in agreement with him, trying to make herself feel better with knowing that they had succeeded by rescuing as many people as they could as well as ridding of every demon in their sight. It wasn't until they rounded a corner that she suddenly felt anxious, but soon she saw the reason why. She managed to push Jace out of the way just as a demon collided on top of her.

"Clary!" Jace yelled as he regained his balance as fast as he could, but it wasn't fast enough. He watched in horror as the demon was about to make its killing blow, but what happened next shocked him.

Clary knew that she was screwed since she didn't have a weapon on her to defend herself since her last seraph blade had skidded along the floor when she had pushed Jace out of the way in such a hasty manner, so instead she did the only thing she could do in this moment when it became clear that there was literally no way for her to escape this situation, she closed her eyes after she saw the demon get into its striking pose, not wanting its face to be the last thing she witnessed.

But when a moment had passed without anything happening to her, she opened her eyes warily in time to see the demon jump off of her before it hissed so loudly as if she had struck it. It was then that she noticed that it was reacting the same way that the other demon had just acted towards her, causing her to be momentarily confused as to why that was suddenly happening until it dawned on her that the other demons she had disposed of weren't ones that you would consider very intelligent, but the last demon she had encountered and this current one in front of her were some of the rare ones that were able to comprehend things much better. Could Jonathan have commanded the demons not to attack her? She didn't have another moment to contemplate over that thought because Jace had pulled her up to her feet before he went on to put himself in front of her, watching as he raised his blade as he was preparing to attack, making her tug his arm at the very last second to stop him from making his next move. "Jace, wait!" She cried out to him before she managed to step around him in order to face the demon and proceeded to take a hesitant step towards it, watching as it recoiled from her again with another hiss, making it clear that her earlier hunch was correct, but she knew that she needed to be sure. "Why aren't you attacking me?"

"Cannot kill you." The demon stammered as it continued to back away when it saw Clary taking another step towards it.

"Because of Jonathan right?" Clary motioned for Jace to back down when she saw him readying himself to attack within a moments notice.

"Yesss. Massster!" The demon cried out.

"I think I've heard enough." Jace retorted before he brushed past Clary, taking the demon by surprise since its attention had been solely upon her.

Clary was beyond bewildered that this demon had been given orders to not kill her, causing her to wonder why Jonathan would even bother to protect her anymore after she had refused to side with him so many times.

Jace placed his blade back in its place before he grasped Clary's arm, pulling her out of her thoughts in the process. "It's really time to go before others come."

Clary didn't bother to argue with him, and instead she kept pace with him as they walked in a brisk manner back towards the Gard.

~~

It didn't surprise Clary that people immediately started to murmur things about her as soon as she entered the room, making her hold her head up high as she peered around the room until her gaze landed on Jocelyn and Luke. She was just about to make her way there when she heard her name being said. "Hmm?"

"I need to check on my family real quick, but I promise that I'll come find you afterwards." Jace said before he leaned down to place a kiss against her cheek before flashing her a subtle grin.

Clary found herself feeling completely better in response to Jace's subtle gesture. "Take your time." She murmured before she waited until she saw that he had made it to his family before she made her way over to Jocelyn and Luke. But soon she began to regret making that decision in the first place because she was now having to try her best not to scowl when her mother was fretting over her wellbeing too much, but soon that was the least of her worries when she heard a chorus of gasps, causing her to turn her attention towards the center of the room. She was at a loss for words as she witnessed Jonathan standing in the midst of all of these people. It wasn't until she really focused on him that she could now see that it was a mere projection of him, but before she knew what she was doing she had already brushed past people in order to get closer to him. "Jonathan?"

He turned around in time to see Clary push her way through the crowd, but as soon as he realized what a mess she looked he knew that his pets hadn't followed his command, causing him to clench his jaw momentarily out of anger. He then had to push his protective emotions aside since he couldn't allow himself to worry about her wellbeing at the moment, so instead he forced himself to look away from her in order to look around his current audience. "What just occurred was a little taste at what I can do. Can you see now that those ridiculous wards that you all desperately rely on cannot save you as you all thought they could?"

"Have you come here just to gloat over what you have done? Does it please you to kill your own kind?" Inquisitor Herondale retorted with a venomous lilt to her words as she went to stand in front of Jonathan.

He simply inclined his head to the side as a malignant smirk descended upon his lips. "I have no desire to gloat over the deaths of my fellow Shadowhunters. I simply did what I thought needed to be done in order to grab the attention of the entire Clave."

Iquisitor Herondale scoffed as she narrowed her eyes into slits. "Enough with your lies. What is it that you truly want?"

Jonathan spread his arms wide as his voice carried out through the entire room. "What I want is to show you exactly what my father had warned you all about so many years ago. You ignored his predicament about those vile creatures being able to invade your precious city of Alicante as they just have, so now what makes you think that those degenerate races that you have allied yourselves with won't be able to do the same at any given moment? I am solely here to give you all one chance at proving to me that you are willing to change your ways before it is too late."

Clary had been silent for so long, but she soon found herself walking closer to Jonathan, ignoring the stares from everyone as she did so. "What choice are you graciously going to give us?"

Jonathan looked over at Clary as the corner of his mouth quirked up in a malefic way. "Why, it's very simple, Clarissa. I have the Mortal Cup in my possession as you all know. If you all do not change your ways soon then I will be forced to create a new world of Shadowhunters that would be solely taught by me. But I am willing to give you all one chance to change my mind by having the Clave willingly sign over all powers of the Council to me, accept me as your rightful sovereign after swearing an oath of obedience, and last but certainly not least would be the acceptance of a loyalty rune that would bind you all to me. After that is all done, I will allow you all to continue living here. Those are my terms. I will give you until tomorrow at this exact time to give your final answer. If I do not receive an answer by then, I will really show you all what I am truly capable of."

Clary was so caught up in what he was saying that she didn't have time to prepare herself when a dagger was suddenly pressed against her neck, making her stand still as she tried not to make any sudden movements.

"How dare you stand there and have the audacity to make such demands. I will not listen to this nonsense any longer. Come surrender yourself or I will make sure that your precious sister will pay the consequences of your actions." The Inquisitor retorted with a threatening lilt to her words.

Clary watched as a look of such hatred passed over Jonathan's features as his gaze was intently set upon the Inquisitor, which sent shivers down her spine in response to his deathly stance. She tried to remain calm as she thought of how she could get out of this predicament, but she stopped her useless attempts when the dagger bit into her skin, making her grit her teeth to muffle a hiss.

"I presume that you are the one responsible for what happened to my sister the other day, and here you are again harming her. It would be such a shame for me to kill you before you even had the chance to get to know your grandchild that you actually so happened to come into contact with so recently." He sneered in response to the Inquisitor's shocked expression, which made her slip-up by loosening her hold on his sister. He watched as Clary moved away, but once he noticed that she was bleeding he clenched his jaw as he retrieved a weapon from his side.

The Inquisitor shook her head as her hands were now shaking with how angry she was in this moment after Jonathan reminded her of the painful loss of her family, and for making her believe his words for just a brief moment before she regained her composure. "My grandchild died along with their parents because of your father! His influence on any innocent person always ended horribly." Her gaze flicked down to the gleaming item in his hand, making the corner of her mouth twitch as she fought back a smirk. "It's too bad you aren't really here to go through with your threat." She taunted as she motioned towards his weapon.

Clary's eyes widened as she inhaled sharply when she heard how the Inquisitor was speaking towards Jonathan. "Don't jab at him like that."

Jonathan shrugged his shoulder in a nonchalant manner as he twirled the knife in his hand as the same malefic smirk played at his lips. "Oh, I get it now. You are taking your anger out on my poor little sister because you blame our father for the death of your son and his beloved family. When in reality you should be thanking him for saving your grandchild, and raising him for a short time until he noticed that, that poor excuse of a warrior was much too soft for his lessons, so he sent him off to live the rest of his pathetic life elsewhere. But enough with this rather dull conversation. I never really liked to drag out my killings, and I won't be starting that habit today."

Everything seemed to play out in slow motion after Jonathan's last words, giving no one the chance to process what he just revealed. Clary watched in horror as the knife he was just holding was suddenly flung through air, but she couldn't warn the Inquisitor fast enough.

One moment the Inquisitor was standing upright with a look of distraught upon her face in response to Jonathan's words, and then the knife had found its intended mark, causing her to collapse onto her knees as her hand reflexively reached down to where she had been hit. She looked down at her hand that was now covered in blood before she crumbled to the ground.

 ** _A/N: I apologize for the long wait. I was busy with preparing for the start of school. But on a brighter note... The next chapter has already been started, and should be done soon._**


	16. A trip down memory lane

Clary attempted to maneuver around the panicked people around her that were now trying to evacuate the room, making it harder for her to make her way towards the Inquisitor. And even though this women had always been so cruel to her since the very moment they had met, Clary felt it was her responsibility to make sure she was taken care of since she had gotten hurt by her brother, and with that in mind, she shouldered past people in a hasty manner, but what she saw next nearly made her stop dead in her tracks.

She witnessed as Jace was crouched down beside the Inquisitor, and it appeared as if the both of them were speaking in a hushed manner to one another. It took her a moment to come back to her senses, but when she did she ran over towards Jace, proceeding to kneel down beside him as she couldn't help but feel like an absolute wreck that she hadn't been able to stop what had just happened, but she knew that she could help right now with this current situation. "Help me remove the knife as quickly as possible and give me some room so I can help her as best as I can." She said in a rush to Jace as she reached down towards her weapons belt to retrieve her stele.

Jace had been so caught up in the moment that he hadn't even heard Clary making her appearance beside him, which made him jump in alarm before he peered over at Clary with a grim expression upon his face in response to her words. "I don't think that's a good idea. She will bleed out. We should wait for Magnus. He will be able to help her better than we can."

"Please just trust me. I can help her in the meantime while you go get Magnus. I don't think he can get to us since everyone is panicking to leave. Now go get him. I promise that I will make sure that she's taken care of." She voiced in a serene manner, holding his gaze as she smiled faintly at him, hoping that he would see that he could trust her with this task.

Jace's golden hues skimmed along Clary's features, noticing immediately that she was being honest, which made it easier for him to trust her to take care of the Inquisitor as he prepared himself to find Magnus. "I will be back as fast as I can."

The Inquisitor's breathing was ragged by this point, but she didn't allow herself to make any noise even though she was in complete agony. She waited until Jace was out of earshot before she turned her attention onto Clary. "Why are you helping me after how I've treated you?" She croaked.

"Shh. Don't try and talk. None of that matters right now. But I need you to trust me and prepare yourself for what I'm about to do. Can you do that for me?" She waited until she got the okay before she tore off a huge piece of her shirt then proceeded to remove the knife from the Inquisitor's abdomen before placing the fabric of her shirt firmly down upon the wound as she used her other hand that was now holding her stele to draw an iratze, concentrating on putting all of her strength into it as she gritted her teeth in response to all of her energy being put into this rune, but all of that energy didn't go to waste because within a moment she noticed the bleeding had gradually slowed to a stop and the wound was starting to seal shut.

"What did you just do to me?" The Inquisitor inquired in a breathless manner as she felt such a rush of relief when her pain was now just a subtle achy feeling.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Clary's mouth as she peered down at the Inquisitor. "I think it's quite obvious. I healed you." She murmured as she was trying her best to keep herself from collapsing in front of so many people in response to draining herself with how much energy she used to put into the rune. She looked up when she heard someone let out a whistle, meeting Magnus's gaze.

"Well, I'll be damned. I guess my services weren't needed after all." He mused aloud with a bemused expression upon his face.

"Actually I think I might need your services, but I hope you'll give me a special discount. Because I don't have access to my funds at the moment." Clary retorted in a semi-joking manner as she felt like she was really on the verge of passing out.

Jace was in complete shock when he got a good look of the Inquisitor when she was being helped to her feet, noticing that the only sign that even showed that she had a wound was the faint red mark on her abdomen. He tore his gaze away in order to stare at Clary in disbelief, but he stopped himself from saying anything when he noticed that she was swaying a little, causing him to wrap his arm around her shoulders, keeping her close to him as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Let's find your mother first, so we can take you back to your Aunt's house."

Clary shook her head as she carefully withdrew from Jace's hold even though she wanted nothing more than to let him hold her, but she knew that there was a far more serious matter at hand, making her smile faintly up at him. "I will find my mom in a minute, but you should go check on how the Inquisitor is doing. She needs family beside her while she is still healing fully."

Jace hesitated as he took in what was said, because he was still in shock with what had just been revealed a while ago, and right when he was going to agree with what she told him, he couldn't help but notice that Clary was beginning to look paler than usual, causing him to shake his head in a stubborn manner. "That can wait. Let's get you back to your Aunt's house. I don't know what you exactly did for her, but you are in dire need of some rest."

Magnus watched the couple for a moment before he released an exaggerated sigh as he made his way towards them. "Since, I'm in such a gracious mood, I suppose that I can give Clary a family discount, and help escort her safely back to her mother. Now you listen to your lady and go off to see your grandmother."

"There you see? Problem solved. Now please go look after her. I promise that I will go straight home. Alright?" Clary all but begged him.

Jace sighed in a defeated manner before he switched places with Magnus, making sure that he was holding her upright just fine before he placed a kiss against Clary's cheek. "I promise that I will come check on you as soon as I can." He turned his attention onto Magnus, narrowing his eyes just slightly. "You better make sure to guard her with your life."

Magnus rolled his eyes before he waved off Jace. "Stop worrying so much. You're going to cause yourself to have an aneurysm."

Clary stifled a laugh when she saw the look upon Jace's face after what Magnus said before he left to make his way towards the infirmary. She finally turned her gaze back onto Magnus with an amused expression upon her features. "If I remember correctly… I believe you mentioned a family discount a moment ago, but I don't recall us being related."

Magnus fought back the urge to laugh, but that didn't stop him from smirking in a mischievous manner. "Of course we aren't related biscuit. But I suppose you'll find out what I meant by that soon enough."

Clary found herself trying not to laugh as she heard him call her biscuit once again, finding it kind of pleasing that she had another nickname to add to her short list, but there was no way that she was going to let him know that she liked it when he called her that. "You know that I never approved of you calling me that."

"You should be honored that I even blessed you with a nickname. I don't just give them out to just anybody." He replied in a playful manner as he kept pace with her as they walked towards where he now spotted her parents.

~~

"Am I the only one who is seeing this weird, but colorful shit? Or am I just really out of it right now?" Clary inquired in disbelief as she waved her hand in front of her for further emphasis when it appeared that colorful sparks were emitting from Magnus's fingers.

"Clarissa! Mind your language in front of company!" Jocelyn exclaimed before she pinched the bridge of her nose in response to her being so appalled by her daughter's poor choice of words.

Magnus had to try his best to not laugh ad he continued to literally work his magic over Clary, watching as her once pale complexion was now showing some signs of color.

Clary refrained from rolling her eyes in response to the scolding she had just gotten before she turned her attention onto Magnus. "Thank you for helping me. I really appreciate it."

Magnus waved off her apology as a hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "There's no need for you to thank me. I am more than happy to help in any way that I can. Especially with what's happening right now."

"I'll make sure that a payment will be arranged as soon as possible." Jocelyn retorted.

"That won't be necessary. I already informed Clary that this was on the house." He tapped his index finger against his chin as he titled his head to the side when a sudden thought came to his mind. "But I was wondering if I may have a word with your daughter alone?"

Jocelyn bristled a tiny bit in response to his request. "Whatever you have to say to her, you might as well just spit it out because there is no way that I'm leaving her alone with you. I do not mean to be rude, but we hardly know one another."

Clary reached out to pat her mother's hand. "It's alright, mom. I'll be okay. And if I need you for any reason, I will call out to you."

Magnus elicited a subtle sigh before he shrugged his shoulder. "No, it's alright. I don't mind asking in front of your mother, Clary. I just figured that you would be more comfortable if she weren't in the room when I ask you of something."

Clary arched a brow as she moved into an upright position. "Now I'm really curious as to what you want to know. Go ahead and ask."

Magnus began to pace around the room, feeling both of their stares on him as he did so. "Before the attack happened, you were just about to reveal something, and I was hoping that you could go on with what you were going to say."

Clary stilled for a brief moment before she regained her composure back, whilst sneaking a peek in her mother's direction, noticing that she seemed pained, which made Clary reach out to grasp her hand gently. "It's alright, mom. If Luke trusts him then I think we can trust him too." She waited until Jocelyn nodded in a solemn manner before she drew in a deep breath and turned her gaze upon Magnus. "If you were wondering if my father experimented on me, then yes you were correct. He exposed me to the blood of an angel when my mother was pregnant with me, and it gave me certain advantages as a Shadowhunter."

Magnus stopped dead in his tracks as he met Clary's gaze. "So, that is how you managed to heal the Inquisitor?"

Clary nodded her head in answer to his question. "Yes, exactly. I was able to lace some of my energy into the rune as I drew it onto her. It's one of the abilities that I have at my disposal."

Magnus's brows rose up in surprise as he took in everything she had just said. "You have other abilities besides that?" He suddenly shook his head before she could answer his question. "No, wait. Don't answer that. It's better that I don't know. It's not safe to risk my knowledge of it, but I promise that I will keep what you just said to myself. The Clave shouldn't know of this."

Jocelyn nearly sighed in relief as she heard what Magnus said. "I will hold you to that promise."

"And I will do my best to keep it. But I think it's time for me to leave. Clary looks like she still needs to get some rest." Magnus voiced in a neutral manner.

"I have to agree with you on that. Thank you for your help, Magnus." She smiled at him when he waved at her before he exited the room with Jocelyn at his heels. And once the door was closed behind them, Clary turned off the light and settled down on her bed to attempt to get some rest.

~~

It seemed only like a short while had passed when she suddenly stirred in her sleep in response to feeling some movement from beside her. "Jace?" She inquired in a sleepy manner.

"Yes, it's me. I'm sorry that I woke you up. Go back to sleep, babe." He murmured as he gently pressed a kiss against her shoulder blade.

Clary smiled as she felt him proceed to wrap his arm around her waist after he placed a kiss against her bare skin before she fought back the urge to yawn. "No, I don't want to sleep."

Jace leaned down to nuzzle his face against her neck, smirking to himself in response to her stubborn ways. "What do you want to do then?"

Clary turned around in his hold in order to bury her face against his chest. "How did your visit go with her?"

Jace stilled when she reminded him of what he had been doing not too long ago, making him take a deep breath to calm himself down in order to speak in a hushed tone. "It went as well as anyone could expect when two complete strangers are left alone to speak to one another. It was awkward at first, but once she really knew that I was indeed her grandson… Well let's just save that for another day. It's still too fresh to speak about."

Clary nodded her head as she raised her hand up to rest against his cheek. "I promise not to pry anymore. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."

He kissed the palm of her hand in attempt to soothe her worries. "You weren't prying. But I promise that when I'm ready to talk about that, that you'll be the first one I go to."

Clary shivered slightly in response to his lips brushing against her hand before she pulled her hand away as she gave herself a moment to summon up the courage to speak about one particular matter that had been on her mind for a while now.

"What's wrong, Clary?" He inquired when he noticed that she had suddenly gone quiet for so long, making him think that he had hurt her feelings in some way, causing him to pull her closer against him, allowing him to rub her back gently.

Clary closed her eyes as she basked in the feel of the warmth coming from his body, whilst his gentle touch was helping to calm her down a bit. "I was wondering what Jonathan meant when he said that my father had taken you under his care. It doesn't make any sense. I would have seen you at some point if that were actually true. Do you think that he was lying?"

Jace went all rigid when he was reminded of Jonathan's speech before he vanished out of thin air, making him try to look back upon his earlier memories, but he found nothing that would prove that this statement was true. "I don't really remember anything from when I was younger. I can only remember the day that I was taken in by the Lightwoods."

Clary pursed her lips as she took in what he said, trying to look back upon her own memories, and that's when a flash of a symbol was displayed in her mind, causing her to gasp aloud before she sat upright.

"Clary, are you alright? Do I need to get Magnus?" Jace voiced in a distressed tone as he too sat up before he reached out blindly to switch on the bedside lamp in order to better see Clary.

Clary blinked a few times to adjust to the lighting before she peered up at Jace with a distraught look. "I think I know why we don't remember anything."

His brows furrowed in response to her words. "What do you mean by that?"

Clary bit down on her lip before she managed to make herself speak. "I think that our memories could have been taken from us."

A look of horror flashed upon his features as he took in what she had stated, because it wasn't until she had said those words that he recalled the dreams that he would have of places and people that he wouldn't recognize after he had woken up, which would prove her words to be true. "I think you are right."

Clary moved into a kneeling position in order to place her hands against his shoulder as she willed him to meet her gaze. "I think that I know of a way to help us remember at least a little bit of what was lost to us for the meantime until I'm fully rested to go at this more properly, but I need you to trust me in order for us to go through with what I have planned."

"Of course I trust you. Just tell me what I have to do." He noted in a calm and collected manner.

"I need you to give me your stele for staters, and then roll up your sleeve. But I can't promise that this won't hurt the both of us." She grimaced after she spoke her last words, silently praying that what she was about to do went smoothly and was as painless as possible.

Jace couldn't lie and say that he wasn't worried by her sudden request, but his curiosity had gotten the best of him, causing him to get off the bed in order to cross the room to retrieve his stele from the pocket of his jacket. He then held it out for her to take hold of before he got back onto the bed. "I'm ready whenever you are."

"Alright, just keep still for me please." She retorted in a hushed manner as she placed the end of the stele against his skin before she proceeded to draw the rune that she had seen just a moment ago onto him before she hastily drew the same rune onto herself, hoping that this worked and that this would allow them to experience the same memories together.

Jace quirked a brow when nothing seemed to happen, but as soon as he even started to say something, they both hissed in unison as a throbbing pain overcame them before multiple visions were suddenly showed to them.

 _A younger version of Cl_ _ary ran out of a manor with tears streaming down her face as she made her way down towards the vast amounts of trees that surrounded the property. She was so worked up that she hadn't noticed that she was lost until it was too late, and she then began to panic and lose all hope that she could make it back home on her own. But she suddenly froze a moment later when she heard someone speak._

 _"Why are you crying?" A young boy asked as he started to walk over towards Clary._

 _"M-my daddy is mad at me." She wailed as she covered her face with her hands._

 _The boy walked over towards Clary in order to embrace her in a gentle manner. "It's okay. My daddy gets mad at me too."_

 _Clary pulled back a bit to look up at the boy with a hint of a smile playing at her lips in response to him understanding what she was going through. "My name is Clary. What is your name?"_

 _The boy smiled warmly as he let go of her in order to extend his hand out towards her to properly introduce himself. "My name is Jace."_

~~

 _The woods suddenly disappeared around them until now both children were playing hide-and-seek in what looked to be an unfamiliar manor._

 _"I found you!" Clary exclaimed before she let out a squeak when Jace began to chase her._

 _"I'm going to get you!" Jace yelled as he let out a laugh_.

 _Clary squealed in delight as she ran faster, but that's where she messed up. She hadn't seen that there were some toys lying against the ground, and it was too late to move out of the way, and soon she tripped and landed harshly onto the floor._

 _"Clary!" He yelled as he ran over towards her before he looked her over to see if she was okay, but that's when he noticed that she cut her knee badly. "Shh. Don't cry, Clary. I will make it all better. Just stay here." He made sure that she listened before he ran off towards the bathroom and grabbed the first-aid kit before he all but bolted back to where Clary was._

 _She sniffled as she watched Jace take things out of the kit. Her lower lip trembled as she tried not to cry more when he cleaned the wound and then placed a band-aid on it_ _because she was told by her father that Shadowhunters never allowed themselves to cry or show that they were hurt. And she didn't want him to witness her crying because she knew what the consequences would be if he did._

 _Jace placed a gentle kiss against her knee before he smiled up at her. "There all better now."_

 _Clary smiled in return before she threw her arms around him to pull him into a hug. "I love you, Jace! You're my bestest friend!"_

~~

 _The scene changed one more time and this time Valentine stood in front of both Jace and Clary. He was fuming as he had Jonathan by his side. "What are you doing with him, Clarissa?" He inquired in a angered manner._

 _Clary stepped in front of Jace as she looked up at her father with a look of defiance upon her face. "Leave him alone, daddy! He's my friend!"_

 _Valentine raised his hand as if he were going to smack her, but he stopped when he saw someone enter the room. "I told you to watch over the boy at all times. And now look what has happened!"_

 _"I'm sorry, my Lord. I swear I looked away for just a moment."_

 _"Take him back home, and I will deal with him after I have dealt with my daughter." He said through clenched teeth before he moved closer towards Clary._

 _"No! Don't touch him!" Clary yelled before she charged at her father and began to blindly kick at his legs, but it was useless. He pushed her aside so harshly that she fell onto the floor._

 _"Clary, stop. You know what will happen." Jonathan said as he pulled her onto his lap, trying to hold her still as she tried to break free of his hold, but his gaze was narrowed onto_ _Valentine as a look of hatred was displayed on his features in response to him laying a hand upon his sister._

 _Clary felt helpless as she watched Jace being carried away, but soon her line of vision was obscured by her father's appearance, making hot tears pool in her eyes in response to how upset she was. "I hate you!"_

 _Valentine tsked at his daughter before he tilted her face up to look at him. "I'm sorry that it has come to this, but I can't risk anyone knowing about you or how special you are. I hope that one day that you will learn to forgive me for what I'm about to do."_

~~

"Oh for fucks sake!" Clary cried out as she tried to rub her forehead as if that could make the unbearable pain go away after she was brought back to reality.

Jace gritted his teeth in order to refrain from groaning as he tried to withstand the throbbing of his head until it finally stopped, allowing him to look over at Clary, but he wasn't expecting to see tears running down her face.

Clary hastily wiped her face before she felt Jace shift onto the bed and proceeded to pull her onto his lap, making her hiccup as she willed herself to stop crying in response to what she had just seen.

"Shh… It's okay, Clary. It's over now. Just breathe for me." He crooned as he ran fingers through her hair.

She sniffled woefully against his shoulder before she mustered up the courage to look at up him with such sadness showing upon her features. "How could he keep us away from one another?"

Jace was just as distraught over what he had just seen with her, but he knew that he couldn't let her see how upset he was, because it would just make her feel worse. And with that thought in mind he pulled her closer to him, brushing his lips against the top of her head. "I promise that no one will ever keep us apart ever again."

Clary pulled back a little to look up at him through her tears with a faint smile upon her lips. "Do you pinky promise?"

Jace couldn't help but laugh a bit in response to her words, knowing that she was feeling a little better now. "Yes, I pinky promise." He held out his pinky for her to take, grinning as she immediately intertwined their fingers together.

Clary felt her heart flutter when she saw how he was looking at her, but before she could even act upon how she was currently feeling, she felt his lips suddenly pressed against hers. A soft moan elicited from her lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his sweet and gentle kiss whilst she shifted in his lap in order to straddle him. And in that loving moment they shared, nothing else mattered. She didn't know what was to come the following day, but she would be damned if she didn't take advantage of every single moment she was grateful to have with him.

~~

Jonathan's POV

Jonathan had been toying with the necklace that was hanging loosely around his neck in an absent-minded manner when he suddenly went still, noticing a subtle change in the room, causing him to turn around to face his current company. "Why, hello, mother. I didn't expect to see you so soon."

A smirk played at Lilith's lips as she crossed the room to stand in front of him. "I couldn't wait any longer to congratulate you on your most recent work, and to tell you how proud I am. You are going to rule this new world so well." She said in a dulcet tone as she lifted her hand to caress his cheek.

Jonathan pinched his eyes shut for a brief moment when she brushed her fingers over his cheek before a malignant smirk descended upon his lips. "I hope they are ready for what I have in store for them. This world has been in a dire need of help for far too long."

Lilith withdrew her hand from his face as she inclined her head slightly to the side as she looked up to meet his steady gaze. "Have you decided on what's to happen with your sister? I know it's not a topic that you enjoy speaking about, but you need to figure out what you are going to do if she does not willing come to join us."

Jonathan refrained from reacting to her words about Clary, but he still couldn't help but notice that he always felt a dull ache in his chest whenever he was reminded of her. "I know without a doubt that she will come around eventually, but she is definitely testing my patience."

Lilith reached out to tip his face up in order to meet her gaze when she noticed a change in his attitude upon her reminding him of Clary. "I know how much you care for your sister, and how you would do anything in your power to protect her, but I need you to put that aside for tomorrow. You cannot allow your desires for her to cloud your thoughts when your goal is just within your reach."

Jonathan broke away from her touch by taking a step back from her in response to her calling him out about his only weakness, which only ended up infuriating him nonetheless. "I am fully aware of that. I don't need another reminder. Now if you only came to pester me over some nonsense then I suggest you take your leave, because I have important matters to attend to." He said through gritted teeth as his hands curled into fists when he suddenly felt himself gradually becoming riled up.

She arched a brow as she processed how he had just spoken to her. "Careful, son. You forget with whom you are speaking to."

Jonathan released a sigh before he nodded his head. "I apologize. I didn't mean to lash out at you."

Lilith reached out to rest her hand against his arm with a subtle smile upon her lips. "There's no need to apologize. I know how much pressure is now resting upon your shoulders. But I also know of a way to help settle your doubts about your sister. It's time that I told you something that I've kept from you."

A bewildered expression crossed over his features for just a moment before he composed himself. "What information have you withheld from me?"

"When it came to my attention at how attached you were becoming with your sister after she arrived upon your family's doorstep, I took it upon myself to give her a push here and there in order for her to feel just as deeply about you as you felt of her. And soon I didn't need to do that anymore because she would seek you out on her own, and I could tell how devoted she was with making sure that she did her very best to please you anyway she could. But once that silly boy came into the picture, I noticed a change in her. She soon became too soft, and it started to change how she saw you, so I took it upon myself to give her a particular dream of you both, just to see what would happen."

Jonathan was taken aback at the lengths she went through in order to have Clary adore him as much as he adored her, but upon hearing her last words, he froze. "What kind of dream did you show her?"

The corner of her mouth twitched as she fought back the urge to smirk in a devious manner. "I simply showed her a dream of you both together in the way that I know you desired you both to be."

Jonathan recoiled from her so suddenly as if she had slapped him before he set his jaw in a defiant stance. "You had no right to do that. She shouldn't be pressured to feel that way about me. And if she weren't to desire me in that way ever then so be it. I will not force myself upon her. I'd rather her love me as her sibling then force her into something that she doesn't want."

Lilith tsked at him as she shook her head with disappointment. "That right there is the mundane side of you that you got from that retched woman. Do not let it overpower your true self. It will fade away once you rid yourself completely of your mundane side. Now listen to me carefully. It is my blood that runs through your veins alone. Not the blood of a Morgenstern or Fairchild. You are my son. And if you want Clarissa to rule alongside you then you go on and take care of that nuisance of a Shadowhunter that has her in his grasp, and bring her back where she belongs. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, I understand you completely. And I believe it's time for me and that golden haired boy to come face-to-face with one another very soon." He retorted in a malefic manner before a sly smirk curved his lips.

 ** _A/N: I had intended to carry on with another scene after the last part of this chapter, but I didn't want this chapter to drag on for too long, and I also didn't want to rush what's to come next. I_** ** _will update as soon as I can._**


	17. Point of no return

Clary had chosen to wait on higher ground that rested near the edge of Gard Hill, staring down at Alicante. She had to admit that this particular view was spectacular, making her realize that she took this place for granted, and it was kind of ironic that now out of all times that she would finally notice how lucky she was to be raised here. That gloomy thought caused her to blow out an exasperated sigh in response to her being left alone with just her thoughts to keep her company as she waited for the final verdict from the entire Clave, making her reluctantly reflect back on what had just happened not too long ago.

She had been granted a limited time in order to speak her thoughts on how they should go about standing their ground when Jonathan and his army would arrive, but of course everyone wasn't so happy with her proposal of having Shadowhunters temporarily binding themselves to a Downworlder of their choosing in order to use their special abilities for the battle that awaited them, and she wasn't the least bit surprised when she was rudely dismissed from the room in order for the Council and its native Idrisians to ponder over her proposal.

The wait for their answer was rather excruciating, but of course this decision was out of her hands, and just as she was losing the last thread of her patience, she immediately tensed up in response to a rustling noise that came from behind her, causing her to spring upright to her feet before her hand reached down to her weapons belt, but once she realized who it was she dropped her arm back at her side. "It's not wise to sneak up on people like that. Especially with how everyone is currently on high alert." She noted dryly as she now held Isabelle's gaze.

Isabelle rolled her eyes as she rested her hands on her hips. "We've been looking for you for quite a while. They've finally have an answer."

Clary felt her throat constrict in response to her nerves getting the best of her after hearing what Isabelle just stated. "What did they say?"

"They agreed to ally themselves with the Downworlders that willingly come to our aid. Now enough with this chit-chat, we have to get going if we want to have enough time for you to show everyone the rune that you spoke so highly of before everyone starts to show up." She replied in a lively tone before she flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned on her heel, proceeding to march her way back in the direction of the Hall.

Clary was too shocked to even process that Isabelle had already walked away, because she was overwhelmed with how relieved she was that they weren't going to give themselves up so easily, but she couldn't help but also feel a deep ache in her chest with knowing that soon she would have to face her brother, and this time instead of fighting by his side, she would be fighting against him. She just hoped that she could reach him before he made his move, and it was that thought that allowed her to break out of her reverie before she had to break out into a jog in order to catch up with Isabelle. "Wait up! Not all of us were blessed with such long legs as you have!"

Isabelle choked back a laugh in response to Clary's words. "Hurry up slowpoke! I'm wearing platforms and still am managing to walk faster than you." She replied teasingly before an amused grin settled upon her lips when she heard the quickening of footfalls from just behind her.

~~

Everything seemed to pass by in a blur after Clary and Isabelle stepped back into the Hall. She had drawn the binding rune on a piece of paper before proceeding to draw the partner rune beside it that would complete the joining of one Shadowhunter with a Downworlder, and soon one by one her fellow peers had started to mark their partners they had chosen for the battle, bringing hope into her heart that this could strengthen the alliances between everyone in order for there to finally be some sort of peace that would carry on for the following generations.

It wasn't long after everyone was marked that they now spread out along the main areas that they thought Jonathan and his army would hit, whilst also making sure people stood guard outside the Accords Hall where the younger Nephilim were being kept along with the elderly.

And now Clary stood at her post as her verdant hues skimmed along the crowded area with the hopes of finding the one person that she needed to talk to before the battle began, but when she couldn't find Jace anywhere, she couldn't help but feel slightly unnerved by his lack of presence since she hadn't spoken to him all morning. There hadn't been time for her to mope when she awoke to an empty bed because her mother had rushed her along to get themselves to the Hall immediately, and as soon as she arrived she had been tossed in the midst of the current chaos, that she didn't have a chance to find him. She then shook her head to help clear her thoughts, and once she looked into the crowd again, her gaze settled upon a familiar face, making her leave her post and all but sprint over in that direction.

Alec had been in the middle of a conversation with Magnus when he suddenly jumped in alarm when he saw a flash of movement coming from his side before a look of confusion passed along his features when he saw who was now looking at him with an anxious expression. "What's the matter with you?"

Clary took a moment to catch her breath before she spoke in a rush. "Where is Jace? I need to have a word with him."

"I'm sure he's around here somewhere. Now if you would kindly give us some privacy. We were in the middle of something before you rudely interrupted." He noted dryly as he waved her off before he turned his attention back on Magnus.

Clary narrowed her eyes into slits before she grasped the collar of his shirt, pulling him down to look at her. "I am not in a playing mood, Alec. Tell me where he is!"

Alec was more than shocked in response to Clary's bold action and the way she had spoken to him, causing a faint flush to spread across his pale complexion out of embarrassment. "Let go of me." He retorted through clenched teeth.

Magnus elicited a sigh before he carefully separated the both of them as a grim expression passed along his features. "I may know where he just scurried off to."

Clary and Alec both looked at Magnus with matching looks of surprise. "What?" They retorted in unison.

Magnus tried not to appear so guilt stricken, making him clear his throat before he passed his fingers through his hair in response to feeling a little anxious under their stares. "He might have come to me earlier this morning, and I may have shown him a way to track down someone."

It took Clary a moment to understand what Magnus was saying before it finally dawned on her. "He's going to try and find Jonathan." As soon as those words fell from her lips she felt a wave of anguish flow throw her entire body with knowing that, that confrontation would end with one of them being removed from her life entirely. And it was that dreadful thought alone that gave her the right mindset to go through with her next action. She looked up at Magnus as she set her jaw in a stubborn stance. "You are going to tell me exactly where he went. Right fucking now."

~~

Jace's POV

His shirt was sticking to his skin by the time he reached the edge of the valley. For a moment he thought the tracking rune had failed him when it suddenly led him within the confines of a cavern, making him follow the little light that happened to seep through the opposite end of the cave, but when he almost twisted his ankle from the lack of light, he retrieved his witchlight and allowed the illumination bleed out between his fingers in order to guide him more safely to his current destination.

It wasn't until he almost reached the end of the cavern that he heard noises from just outside, making him place his witchlight back into his pocket before he crept forward until he was now ducking behind a bulky stalagmite, just as a figure emerged from the shadows near the far end of the cavern, and just as the figure hit the perfect lighting did Jace realize that it was his indeed his current target. It was finally time for him to put an end to Jonathan's insane plan, but he hoped that Clary would forgive him for what he was about to do.

"You've already made your presence well known after failing to keep quiet, so you might as well come out, Jace." Jonathan replied in a callous tone.

Jace froze for only a second before he forced himself to step out into the open, seeing Jonathan a few feet away from him, but still managed to speak in a steady tone even though his body and mind were yelling at him to just attack. "I assume that you know the reason that I'm here."

A smirk curved Jonathan's lips. "Do you really think that you can stop me before I open the gate and let my army wreck havoc upon everything that dares to come into their path?"

Jace shrugged as if unfazed by his words. "Since I'm better than every single one of my peers in every conceivable way, it did occur to me that I'd be able to deal with you with such ease."

His smirk widened as his darkened gaze fixated itself onto Jace. "It's easy for you to say such things, but the beating of your heart is giving away just how you really feel with the thought of trying to overpower me. I just hope that you at least put up a good fight before I kill you." He didn't allow Jace to reply before he moved with such speed and precision in order to suddenly be behind him, proceeding to wrap his arm around his neck, cutting off Jace's air supply until he fell unconscious in his hold.

~~

Jace opened his eyes warily as his mouth was filled with a bitter taste, causing him to be momentarily confused until it dawned on him that he was currently choking on his own blood in response to his short confrontation with Jonathan. That mere revelation had caused him to tense up as he looked around his surroundings, taking notice that he was still in the cavern as he was before he was knocked out, but the only difference was that he was now seated on the ground with his wrists bound tightly with rope. He went completely still in response to the sounds of footsteps approaching him.

"Ah, I see that you are awake little brother." Jonathan replied curtly before he moved to kneel in front of him.

Jace inclined his head to the side to spit out a mouthful of blood onto the ground before he reluctantly looked up at Jonathan. "Don't call me that. We aren't related."

A sly smirk played at his lips before he spoke in a neutral tone. "You have the right to that title since we were raised by the same father. Though I have to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect when we crossed paths once again, but I can say that I was severely disappointed. It seems that our father was far too soft with you. It's a shame. You had so much potential." He reached out to pat Jace's cheek before he rose back up to his feet.

A humorless laugh emitted from Jace's lips as he ignored the dull ache of his head. "I'd ask you to put me out of my misery, but I have a feeling you're about to drag it out with your horrendous monologues."

Jonathan clenched his jaw as his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "You have a smart mouth. I'm more than sure that you didn't learn that from Valentine. It doesn't seem to me that he taught you much about fighting either since it didn't take much effort to render you unconscious. I guess he decided it was best to teach myself and Clarissa everything he knew, and just give his little angel boy some cookies or useless toys."

Jace swallowed hard in response to hearing him mention Clary, but he refused to let him see how his words affected him. "You've made it easy for me to see the reason why /your/ father kept you locked away, because I know for a fact that I don't recall ever hearing nor seeing you at all when I was raised here in Idris. Though I have to give you the benefit of the doubt, because I hardly can remember my stay here since someone so kindly blocked my memories." He was seething by this point as he carefully tried to see if he could manage to free himself from his restraints when the time was right.

Jonathan shrugged in a neutral way as he began to pace in front of Jace. "I was lucky enough to not see you since you were raised in another manor that was close to the home I was raised in. That was until you happened to come across my sister, and made Valentine teach her a good lesson before he had to block her memories of you for good, but as it turns out, Valentine had a soft spot for you after all. I hadn't known that he sent you to live with the Lightwoods until it was too late and I had no choice but to allow my sister to finish her training with them as he wanted her to. And once again you managed to weasel your way into her heart, but I'll be damned if I allow you to make her turn her back on me. Her rightful place is at my side. Not yours." He stated with a venomous lilt to his words.

Jace's blood was boiling by this point, causing him to momentarily lose his sense of control, because something became so clear to him in this moment. "She isn't yours. Or anyone else's for the matter. She is her own person, and if she willingly chooses to not go along with your plan then so be it. Especially since you've made it so clear that you care for her more than a brother should care for their own sister. It's quite revolting actually."

Jonathan lost his composure for a split second, which almost caused him to act on the instinct of killing Jace on the spot, but once he was able to clear his mind and find his center, he went to kneel in front of Jace, grasping his chin in order to lift his face up to meet his gaze. "You have no right to speak of things that you know nothing about. What Clary and I have is none of your concern. I want you to pay attention to what I'm about to do, because soon this place will be filled with more demons than you can imagine, so watch carefully little brother." He spat before he released his hold on Jace's chin, rising up into a standing position before he went to retrieve the sword that he left resting nearby and proceeded to make his way towards the red-tinged stalagmite in the center of the cave.

Jace watched as Jonathan made his way towards the stalagmite, and he couldn't help but feel a wave of uneasiness pass through him as if something terrible was about to happen.

Jonathan murmured in a rough-sounding demon language before he brought the sword across, hard and fast in a slicing arc, making the top of the stalagmite shear away and a mass of black and red smoke swirled up towards the torn gap located on the roof of the cavern. A nefarious smirk played at his lips as the sounds of shrieks, howls, and snarling were now filling the room before demons rose and vanished overhead in the midst of all of the black smoke. "Behold my army!" Jonathan roared as he watched with pure pride showing on his features as he thought of the gruesome battle that was soon to happen.

Jace recoiled as it appeared as the earth had been torn open and hell had managed to pour through what was left of the stalagmite. He felt bile rise in the back of his throat in response to the horrid stench that the demons had carried with them, and it was then that he really started to pull against his restraints, feeling completely helpless since he couldn't defend himself.

Jonathan chuckled as he now noticed Jace's reaction at witnessing his army. "It's okay, little brother. They're all gone now."

Jace reluctantly looked up at Jonathan through his watery eyes as he fought to stay conscious, whilst ignoring that his wrists were sore and weeping blood in response to trying to remove the rope, and how he had to try to fight back the urge to retch all over the ground because he could still smell the stench that clung in the air. "You released them earlier than you told the Clave." He croaked out as he willed himself to believe that his family, friends, and most importantly that Clary would be okay. He needed to keep faith if he was to attempt to get himself out of this predicament, and go through what he had planned in the first place.

Jonathan peered up at the now empty sky as he shrugged his shoulder. "I'm not some fool. I know they have managed to prepare themselves, so a little early visit shouldn't come as a shock to them."

"Clary will never forgive you if you allow anyone she cares about to come to any harm." He retorted as he hoped to see that the mere mention of Clary would rile him up in order to taunt him enough to release him from his restraints, and not even a moment passed when he witnessed a change in Jonathan's composure, making him feel relatively smug.

"I think I've had enough of your presence for more than a lifetime. It's time to die angel boy." Jonathan said through clenched teeth as reached down to tug Jace up to his feet in a quick and fluid manner.

Jace had to take a moment to catch his breath as his head swayed in response to that sudden motion before he forced himself to smirk in an amused manner as he watched how angry Jonathan had become. "I see that I hit a certain nerve of yours, but are you really going to kill me while I'm tied up? Are you scared at the mere thought of fighting me fairly?"

Jonathan's darkened hues narrowed into slits as his jaw clenched. "For an angel boy, you sure are such a nuisance."

"Why do you keep referring to me as angel boy?" Jace inquired with a hint of annoyance laced in his words.

A flicker of amusement passed across Jonathan's face as the corner of his lip twitched in response to him fighting back the urge to smirk. "You really are so clueless about your upbringing. But since I'm in such a caring mood I guess I can let you in on a little secret. You and my sister happen to be experiments just like me. All thanks to our dearly beloved father."

Jace was momentarily taken aback by his words, making him shake his head stubbornly. "You're lying. Clary and I are nothing like you."

Jonathan was about to say something when all of the sudden he turned to look over his shoulder in response to hearing movement coming from there, but it was too late because soon he felt something embed itself into his shoulder, causing him to choke back a cry as he pried the item out before tossing it on the ground. "You will regret doing that in just a moment."

"Step away from my brother, you piece of shit." Alec replied with a venomous lilt.

Jace sucked in a breath as he saw Alec's familiar silhouette just at the entrance of the cavern, and just as he saw Jonathan take a step forward, he quickly moved and used all the force he could manage to ram himself against him, causing them both to tumble down onto the floor rather ungracefully.

"Jace!" Alec cried out before he broke out into a run to make his way towards Jace, managing to cut him free from his restraints before he cried out when he felt himself being yanked so harshly from Jace before he was tossed aside as if he weighed nothing, and landed on the ground before he felt his eyes begin to close on their own accord, whilst the sounds of a quarrel played in the background.

~~

Clary's POV

She had just reached the area where Magnus said Jace would be when all of the sudden she heard the familiar cries of a battle coming from just a short distance from her, making her run as fast as she could, ignoring the protest from her lungs and legs as she finally reached the edge of what seemed to be a valley, her gaze scanning the area wildly until she was frozen in shock as she watched Jace and Jonathan in mid battle.

It wasn't until she really got a real good look at them both that she noticed that they both were suffering from various injuries, but when she saw Jonathan's shirt covered in massive amounts of blood, she lost it. "Jonathan!" She cried out as she forced herself to make her legs move faster, but in the end she wasn't fast enough, and it was in that moment that she regretted that she had made her presence known, because she witnessed as his movements faltered ever so slightly as he turned his attention on her, allowing Jace to slash the edge of his blade across Jonathan's stomach, causing him to stagger back a step. "No!" She screamed as she watched in horror as Jace proceeded to pierce the blade of the sword through Jonathan's chest in a swift moment before pulling it back out completely.

Clary felt tears trail down her face as she choked back a sob as she made it to them in time to catch Jonathan when he sank to the ground. She immediately cradled him against her as she ran her hand against his cheek, peering down at him through her tears.

"Clary..." He struggled to say before he coughed up a pool of blood.

Clary wept miserably as she propped his head up to allow him to breathe more comfortably as she ran the pads of her fingers against his cheek. "Shh… It's alright. I'm here now, and I'm going to fix you right up. You just stay with me okay?" She pleaded with him as she reached down to find her stele in a frantic manner.

Jonathan reached up with a trembling hand in order to attempt to wipe her face clean of tears as the corner of his mouth quirked up into a faint grin. "Don't waste your tears on me. You know how much I hate it when you ugly cry." He replied in a hushed tone as he hoped he could hear the dulcet laugh of hers one last time.

A half-strangled laugh managed to escape her lips in response to the comment he always said when she cried before she leaned into his touch as she peered down at him, making sure to admire every part of him because she knew that even her special iratze's wouldn't be enough to fix him, and it was that thought alone that made her heart ache furthermore. "Oh, Jonathan… This is all my fault. I shouldn't have ever left your side. Please forgive me." She sniffed as she clung onto him for dear life.

Jonathan shook his head as he reached out to grasp her hand tightly, trying to keep himself alert for a while longer. "Don't you dare blame yourself. I brought this upon myself. I—" He was cut-off mid sentence as he had to turn his head away in order to retch onto the ground before he was slowly going limp in her arms, and as his eyes were closing he barely felt his lips moving as he tried to murmur one last thing to her.

Clary went still as she watched him slowly fade away, making her shake him as she willed him to keep his eyes open before she managed to lean down in time to catch his final words before he stopped breathing altogether. And it was then that she lifted her face up towards the sky and let out a deafening scream.

~~

Jace's POV

He would always be haunted by what happened after his blade had sunk into Jonathan's chest. The mere sound of Clary's cries and pleas for her brother to return to her had nearly broken his heart entirely, but what was worse was what happened the moment he tried to comfort her.

Clary recoiled from his outstretched hand as she kept her hold on her brother as her eyes narrowed into slits as she watched as Jace had the audacity to think that she would want to allow herself to be comforted by him. "Don't you dare touch me. You've done enough. Now fuck off." She retorted through gritted teeth as she felt so many emotions coursing through her as she tried to find the strength to follow through with Jonathan's final order for her. And even though she had every right to despise Jace for what he had done, it didn't stop her from feeling a pang of sadness deep in her chest when she noticed the flash of sorrow that passed along his face as his hand fell back at his side.

"I'm so sorry, Clary. There are no words to describe how I'm feeling right now. I wish there had been another way to have stopped all of this madness, but you have to believe me when I say that I did this for the sake of everyone." He replied in a rough tone as he tried his best to not let himself breakdown in front of her, because he knew that was the last thing she needed to see in this moment.

Clary had to avert her gaze from him altogether in order to follow through with her next action, because it took all of her willpower to force herself to do what needed to be done. "I don't want to hear your meaningless apologies. I am not some fool. I knew that you didn't like him. It didn't go unnoticed about how you would react to the mere mention of him, and it's perfectly clear to me on what I now have to do."

A look of confusion crossed his features as he watched her so closely, and as soon as she forced herself to look at him, he knew deep down what was to happen next, making him shake his head. "Clary, no. You can't just erase everything that we have together!"

She blinked back fresh tears as forced herself to speak in a mumur. "It's too late to save what we had together. It's over now. And I wish so desperately that I had never met you again, because you've only brought such pain into my life. So, now it's only right that you at least promise to do one last thing for me."

Her words had pierced him so deeply, but when he felt a spark of hope blossom in his chest in response to her request, he acted on that feeling instinctively as he wanted so desperately to win her back in that moment. "What is that you want from me?"

The corner of her mouth quirked up into an impassive smile as she reached out in a tentative manner to pinch her fingers around Jonathan's ring as stealthily as possible. "Tell my mom, and Luke that I love them so much, and that I'm sorry for what I'm about to do."

Just as he was preparing himself to ask what she meant by what was just stated, he watched in complete shock as she and Jonathan both vanished out of sight, leaving him to finally succumb to his sorrows.

~~

Clary's POV

She hastily wiped away the traitorous tears that managed to escape her eyes before she forced herself to stand upright as she took a hesitant step back in order to admire her work and make sure that she had done everything as correctly as possible.

"Come on..." She mumbled under her breath as she forced herself to keep her gaze straight ahead even though she was aware that Jonathan was lying on the ground behind her.

She was about to cry out in frustration when nothing seemed to be happening after a few passing moments, until something… No someone was starting to materialize right in front of her, making her suck in a breath.

"Why have you summoned me?" Lilith stated in an impassive manner before she realized the current state that Clary was in, making her turn rigid all of the sudden.

"I need your help. Something has happened to Jonathan." She managed to choke out before she stepped out of the way, watching as a look of distraught washed over the woman's face.

Lilith's hand shot up to her mouth as she fought back the urge to cry out in response to seeing her son lying so still on the floor, knowing that he wasn't peacefully sleeping as he appeared to be. She forced herself to tear her gaze away from him to look at Clary as she removed her hand from her mouth. "What have you allowed to happen to my son."

Clary ignored the pain that came with her nails digging into the palm of her hands as she willed herself to stay strong. "I was too late to save him, and I will regret that for as long as I live. But I have summoned you only because Jonathan managed to inform me that you could help me bring him back to life. Is that true?"

"Yes, it is possible to save my son. But for this to happen, I need to make sure that you are willing to do anything I may ask of you. Even if it goes against everything you believe in. As well as deal with any repercussions. Are you prepared to take on all of that?" Lilith stated in a serious manner as she anxiously waited for her answer.

Clary nodded her head in a solemn manner as a look of determination flashed along her features. "Just tell me what needs to be done, and I will do it."

A menacing smirk curved Lilith's lips as she stepped out of the pentagram with such ease, and made her way in front of Clary before she placed her hand against her cheek. "We will both make them all pay for what they have allowed to happen to Jonathan."

A shiver ran down Clary's spine in response to the intensity of both Lilith's words and tone. And even though it was only one particular person that had taken Jonathan away from them, she couldn't bring herself to tell Lilith this because if she had to be completely honest with herself, she still loved him. She knew that a part of her would always love him, but she wasn't going to let that little fact stop her from going through with whatever was going to be thrown in her way in order to bring Jonathan back.

She closed her eyes as she drew in a deep breath before she concentrated on pushing those mundane-like feelings towards the back of her mind, because those feelings alone had led to her turning her back on the only person that had always been there for her, and she would be damned if she allowed those ridiculous feelings to hold her back any longer. And once she found her center, she opened her eyes as she held her head up high, whilst a look of determination settled upon her face as she allowed herself to settle back into her old ways, because it was finally time that she fully lived up to the Morgenstern name.

 _ **A/N:**_ _ **I apologize once again for the long overdue update. I was dealing with a stubborn cold, and hardly felt the energy to write, but as soon as I was feeling better I managed to finish writing and edited as best as I could. What did you all think about the ending scene with Clary? I'm curious to know.**_


	18. How this came to be

Clary's POV

A full week had passed now. In that time, Clary had finally found her perfect target, and had studied their nightly routine in order to find the perfect moment to strike.

Tonight happened to be that particular night. Clary had just finished getting herself ready for tonight's festivities, making sure to add the finishing touch of a special glamor rune that would hide all of her marks in order for her to appear as mundane as possible. Her current outfit wasn't fit to hide too many weapons, so she had to make do with what she could manage to hide underneath her attire.

She made her way downstairs, heading directly towards the hidden cellar, using the illumination coming from her witchlight to help guide her until her gaze settled on what was in the center of the room. The heels of her pumps echoed along the floor as she walked towards her current target, making sure to not step directly into the two carefully drawn circles that were embellished with unfamiliar runes. She stopped just in front of the glass coffin that rested on a sturdy surface before she reached her hand out to place against the glass as her verdant hues settled upon the body that rested in it in the midst of the cloudy liquid that surrounded him. He looked as handsome as ever, and so peaceful as if he were merely sleeping, causing her to take a steady breath as she willed herself to stay focused on the goal that was just within her reach. "I promise that we will be reunited with one another soon, brother." She murmured in a placid tone before she forced herself to turn around and set off on her mission.

~~

Jace's POV

An exasperated sigh elicited from slightly parted lips in response to him tuning out the chatter that was coming from those that were currently around him.

Today had just been like every other day. Every single person that cared for Clary were all gathered together, trying their best to find a way to track her down, but of course all attempts ended up with them failing to do so.

It hadn't surprised anyone that she had managed to cloak herself as easily as Jonathan had been able to do when he was the number one suspect of interest at the time.

It just pained Jace even more with knowing that she was gone because of him. The moment that she had vanished had sent him into the worst depressed state he had ever been in. It didn't help that Jocelyn had chewed him out so badly upon his return and Clary wasn't beside him. Every word that spilled from Jocelyn's lips wounded him so deeply, but if it hadn't been for his family, he wouldn't have been able to keep faith that he would be reunited with Clary soon.

So, instead of wallowing in his sorrows alone in his room, he had spent countless hours with his family and friends to find her, and just as all hope was lost, Jace had pulled himself out of his internal thoughts in time to witness Magnus cry out in triumph. He couldn't bring himself to speak what was on the tip of tongue since he was afraid that it would hurt too much if he didn't hear the answer that he desperately needed to hear, and instead he was grateful that Isabelle had been the one to muster up the courage to do so for him.

"Please tell me that you have found her?" Isabelle inquired in a gentle tone.

The corner of Magnus's mouth tugged up into a subtle grin as he used his index finger to tap the location of Clary's whereabouts on the map that was laid out on the table. "I'm relieved to say that I have. Now it's up to you all to make the next move."

Jace peered down at the map before he let out a half-strangled laugh when he recognized the location almost immediately. He didn't even bother to wait to listen to any of the ideas they had in mind about how they would go about getting to her, and instead he made his way towards the only portal that was within his disposal as a thread of hope began to blossom deep within his chest. It was time to bring her back home.

~~

Clary's POV

It took her a moment to become accustomed with the rather chaotic atmosphere of the club as she made her way throw the crowded area in order to make it to the bar where she then ordered a round of shots, which so happened to just be water. Not that she was going to let alone in on that little secret.

This plan had taken a few days to set up. She had paid off the bartender and security guard in order for her plan to run as smoothly as possible, whilst also shadowing the poor individual that was needed for the ritual that Lilith had disclosed briefly to her.

This individual turned out to be a vampire. She was hesitant at first when she was told that after they had served their purpose that they would need to be disposed of, which is why she made sure she found a vampire that had been violating the accords. It made her feel less guilty with knowing that if she killed this vampire that it would be helping the poor mundanes that happened to cross their path, and also keep the peace between the factions.

Everything was going all according to plan, but the only thing missing was the vampire. Clary finished the shots she had ordered as she scanned the room carefully until her gaze settled upon a particular figure in the midst of the swaying bodies that were on the dance floor, making a noxious smirk play at her lips as she sauntered over towards the dance floor, making sure to stumble here and there to make it appear as if the drinks she just drank had already gone into effect.

She was aware of someone heading towards her when she saw movement coming from her peripheral vision as she started to maneuver her way through the swaying bodies all around her until she was brought to a stop by a hand grasping her arm, causing her to refrain from reacting in any way in response to the cool feel of their fingers against her bare skin. It went against all her instincts to all them to proceed to wrap their arms around her waist as she felt their breath brush against her neck as she started to move in time to the beat of the current song playing, whilst trying to answer the question they had just murmured in her ear. Her body hummed in response to the wave of adrenaline that was starting to course through her entire form as both her mind and body readied themselves for what was to come next.

~~

Jace's POV

Jace had just stepped out of the portal, giving the area around him a quick glance to make sure no one witnessed him coming through the portal.

Once he was sure the coast was clear he hurriedly went through the motions of making a tracking rune since now that Clary was out in the open in the mundane world he was sure he was going to be able to pinpoint her location, and soon enough his hunch was proven to be true, allowing him to set off in the direction that the tracking rune was leading him.

He just wasn't prepared for what he was going to witness next. One moment he had been directed towards the back alley of the club, and the next moment he only had a quick second to veil himself in the shadows when he heard a door being swung open followed by a string of laughter. Jace carefully snuck a peek in that direction, and immediately went still as he watched in horror as Clary was enveloped in a man's embrace, causing him to choke back a strangled gasp as he couldn't force himself to pry his eyes away from the scene in front of him.

And against his better judgment he gave into the wave of anger that flowed through his entire being in response to seeing her in the arms of another man, acting on the first instinct of stalking off towards them to go through with what he had set off to do in the first place, whilst also being able to relieve his anger on the poor bastard that thought it was okay to touch his girl.

~~

Clary's POV

She had just been prepared to catch the vampire off guard when he was busy murmuring such revolting things in her ear when all of the sudden they both were aware of footsteps coming closer to where they currently were, causing Clary to emit a sigh. "Well, there goes my plan on keeping this as discreet as possible." She voiced aloud with a slight tinge of annoyance laced in her words.

The vampire pulled back enough to look at Clary in pure disbelief when she appeared to suddenly be completely sober and aware of her surroundings, making him really look at her, and within a moment he let out a growl when it dawned on him that he had been lured into a trap. "You're not a mundane at all. You're just another filthy shadowhunter."

Clary feigned she was offended by his words as she fought back the urge to smirk in a devious manner in response to it taking the vampire so long to notice that he was lured into a trap. "Tsk tsk. It took you long enough to put two and two together. I actually feel a little bit embarrassed for you."

"You little b—" He didn't have time to finish his insult when all of the sudden his face felt as if it were suddenly ablaze from the substance that was thrown at him, causing him to cry out as his hands instinctively went to clutch his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear what you were about to say." Clary said a little too amusingly, and just as she was allowing herself to feel too smug she barely had time to move aside when the vampire charged at her at full pace, and just as she was about to prepare herself for his next attack, a voice echoed through the empty alleyway.

"Clary!"

She froze in place as her mind registered the one who had called out to her, making her momentarily break her composure as she peered over her shoulder in time to see Jace running in her direction. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, but soon she was aware of the vampire recovering just from beside her, causing her to pry her gaze from Jace altogether as she quickly went into action, and knocked the vampire out cold before she retrieved the specially made handcuffs that were carefully hidden on her. Just as she was making sure that the vampire was out for good by nudging him with the toe of her heel, she was now aware of the presence that was just behind her, making her throat constrict as she willed herself to not give into her emotions in response to him being so close to her. "Don't come any closer, Jace." She voiced in a hushed tone as she kept her back to him.

Jace ignored her words altogether as he continued to make his way to her until he was just a step away from her. "Clary, please don't be like that. Everyone has been so worried about you."

Clary bit down on her lip harshly, basking in the feel of the pain that came with that action in order to fight back the traitorous tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks when she heard the pain in his voice that mirrored her own as she forced herself to speak. "Don't make this any harder then it has to be, because there's nothing that you can say that will make me willingly come back with you."

Jace shook his head in a stubborn manner as he reached out to grasp her arm in order to make her look at him. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that you would just turn your back on everyone that you care about? Because the Clary that I love would never turn her back on anyone."

She kept her gaze fixated on the alley in front of her instead of looking up at him when he so brazenly took hold of her arm, knowing that as soon as she really looked at him that she wouldn't be able to hold it together. "The girl that you all cared about is gone. It's better for you all to just forget about me, because trouble seems to always follow me around, and I couldn't bear it if anyone else that I cared about got hurt because of me."

Jace felt his heart constrict in response to her words, and how he heard her voice waver as she spoke them. He gritted his teeth as a feeling of anger suddenly flowed through his entire form, because he wasn't about to let her push him away. He then cupped her chin in order to turn her face in his direction, willing her to look at him. "Dammit, Clary! I am not going to give up on you. Now look me in the eye and tell me that you don't love me anymore, and I promise that I will leave you be if that's the case, but I can't promise that I won't drag you back home kicking and screaming if I have to in order to bring you back to your mom and Luke. That's the least that I can do for them."

Clary felt her composure slipping away with each passing second as his words hit her so deeply as she finally mustered up the courage to look at him. Her breath caught in throat as soon as her gaze met his, seeing how much love was both showing in his eyes and features, which brought tears to her eyes. "You deserve someone better than me. I'm not good for anyone, and I will only drag you down with me. Can't you see that I'm staying away to keep you all safe? That's why I have to let you go, and everything else that I care about. I just hope that one day that you can forgive me."

It was in that moment that he knew that she was set on leaving him, and just as he felt her starting to retreat from him altogether, he jumped into action by cupping her face in his hands, managing to catch her by surprise as his lips sought out for hers in a fervid manner.

Clary didn't have time to process what he was about to do until it was too late, and as soon as their lips met, her body suddenly felt as if it were aflame. Her arms somehow found themselves wound around his neck as she returned his kiss with the same amount of passion, whilst a shiver of pleasure ran down her spine in response to the groan that emitted from deep within his chest.

His hands found their way to grip her waist, pulling her flush against him as he managed to part her lips before his tongue explored the confines of her mouth, which allowed him to be graced with a delicate moan, and only egged him on more.

A noise of contentment spilled from her lips against her own will when she felt him claim her lower lip between his teeth, and it was that mere sensation alone that brought her back to her senses, causing her to pull away from him abruptly as she tried to catch her breath.

Jace had been so caught up in their act of passion that it took him a moment to realize that she had pulled away from him entirely, but that kiss they shared was enough to prove to him that their love was undeniable at this point, which made the hope in his heart blossom furthermore as he watched her back away from him until she was beside the unconscious body that was lying on the ground. "I will find you no matter where you go. It's too late to deny that you're still the same person that I fell in love with."

Clary knew that he would never give up on what they shared together, and it was that act of love that she was going to hold on to as she was about to finish what she had already started. The corner of her mouth lifted up into a faint smile as she held his gaze as she crouched down to grab hold of the sleeve of the vampire's shirt before her fingers clasped around her newly returned ring. "I know you don't get why things have to be this way, but I'm doing this especially for you. I can't risk you getting hurt while I am trying to accomplish something that's never been done before. It is true that I will always love you, but you have to move on. I don't want to be the reason that you cease to exist when she finds out about what you did… I'm so sorry for bringing you and your family into my troubles. Goodbye, Jace." She would always remember the look on his face when she left him for the second time, making her heart ache evermore.

~~

It took Clary a few moments to get her act together before she summoned Lilith one more time, waiting for her appearance as she made sure that the vampire's restraints were properly done as he now was tied to a chair.

Not long had passed when she witnessed Lilith finally made her appearance and proceeded to step out of the summoning circle with a satiated expression when her gaze immediately fell upon the temporary prisoner before she walked over towards Clary, placing her hand against her cheek as a sly smirk played at her lips. "You have done well, my child. Now it is time for you to complete your next mission, and we will be even closer to bringing Jonathan back to where he belongs."

Clary refrained from reacting from the cool touch of Lilith's palm against her cheek as she held her steady gaze. "What do I have to do next?"

A malignant expression flashed across Lilith's features in response to Clary's question. "It is time for you to do what comes so naturally for you. To kill."

Clary didn't even have time to process her words when she now was aware of another presence in the room that she hadn't noticed until the person had started to move, making Clary take a few hesitant steps towards them until she recognized the man cowering in the corner of the room. It was the man from her vision that she had witnessed with Jace, and before she even realized it, his name tumbled off of her lips as if she had known him for so long. "Hodge Starkweather."

~~

Isabelle's POV

Some time had passed since Jace had returned and caught everyone up with his encounter with Clary, and in that time they were more than desperate to figure out what she was trying to accomplish, along with trying to think of who could be aiding her.

It was Isabelle's idea to bring in a special someone to help with this particular task, and let's just say that this person wasn't welcomed with open arms by some people.

A wave of guilt had settled within her entire being when she couldn't deny that one of the reasons for her voicing the idea of bringing Simon to Idris was because of her selfish need to see him, as well as trying to bring back her dear friend.

And now in the present she was trying to resist the urge to bite her nails in an anxious manner as she watched as Simon was in a rather distraught mood as he was pacing around her room.

"Why wasn't I told about any of this? I could have been able to talk her out of leaving or at least have been there when she desperately needed someone." Simon noted with a slight tinge of anguish in his tone as he paced around the room, whilst a dull ache began to make its presence deep within his chest at the mere thought of his best friend all alone somewhere. He felt so guilty that he allowed himself to become so busy that he hadn't been there when Clary needed him the most.

Isabelle strode over to where Simon was before she gently placed her hand on his shoulder in order to stop him in place before she peered up to meet his gaze. "I'm so sorry that we couldn't tell you about any of this until it was too late. I've already told you about how strict things are in my world, Simon, but don't you dare try to blame yourself for any of this. No one could have stopped her from leaving."

Simon went still as soon as he felt Isabelle's hand rest against his shoulder, allowing her dulcet-like voice soothe him before he summoned up the courage to turn around and face her. It was then that he felt his throat constrict when he saw the sympathetic expression upon her face that almost broke his composure, because it was then that he realized that she wasn't just some girl that he shared various visits with. She was someone that he had grown to care about, and she just proved that she knew him just as well as Clary did, which made the corner of his mouth tug up into a faint smile. "Thank you, Izzy for trying to make me feel better."

Isabelle didn't know what to say, so instead she brought him into a gentle hug before smiling to herself when she felt his arms tighten around her, and it was then that she was aware of the way her heart fluttered in response to this little intimate moment between them. It had been so long that she had been able to see Simon that she wasn't going to take any moment like this for granted, knowing that he needed someone to keep him sane in this moment, and she wanted to be the one that he could count on.

~~

Alec's POV

Alec had been in a discussion with Magnus and several others, but he couldn't really pay attention to what they were saying when he noticed that there was something going on between his sister and that mundane.

It never really bothered him when he would witness his sister with one of her flings, but something was different this time. He had witnessed his sister trying to comfort someone, which was out of character for her, and just as he felt the need to go and check on her since she had excused herself in order to take the mundane somewhere more private, he was brought out of his thoughts when Magnus was trying to get his attention. He immediately flushed when Magnus was giving him a particular look. "Sorry. Can you repeat what you just said?"

The corner of Magnus's lip tugged up into an amused grin in response to how coy Alec appeared to be in this moment. "I was simply suggesting that you go check on Jace. He didn't look so well."

Alec felt a wave of guilt flow through him when it was brought to his attention that he had been neglecting his parabatai when he had let his brotherly instincts cloud his thoughts. He leaned over to place a chaste-like kiss against the corner of Magnus's mouth before he excused himself and proceeded to walk out the way that Jace did, but it wasn't until a few seconds had passed that he realized he had allowed himself to indulge in PDA moment with Magnus in front of several individuals. That mere revelation alone made his cheeks burn as he scurried out of the room.

~~

Alec found his parabatai sitting on Gard Hill, making sure to make subtle noises to allow his presence to be known before he took a seat against the grass. "You chose a place with a nice view." He stated lamely since he didn't know how to go about talking to his parabatai about his current situation.

Jace looked over at Alec as he quirked a brow in response to his weird behavior before he shrugged his shoulder in a nonchalant manner. "I suppose it's rather pleasant to look at, but I also know that's not really what you wanted to say, so just say what's really on your mind."

Alec ran his fingers through his hair in a semi anxious manner before he forced himself to speak the words that he never had the guts to tell his brother. "I don't understand why you are beating yourself up over some girl. She has only brought our family and everyone else here such pain. It's time for you to let her go, and let things go back to the way they were before she came along."

Jace felt his nails digging into the soil in response to such malice that was clearly shown in the way Alec had spoken about Clary, causing him to grit his teeth. "Clary is not just some girl to me. I know that you have never seemed to care for her since she came to live with us, but she has changed me for the better. She has managed to open my eyes to things that I have never even bothered to acknowledge that existed, because I let myself become consumed with everything that has been drilled into our heads since we were little. I love her, and I will do whatever I have to in order to bring her back to her family, and if she decides that she wants nothing to do with me then so be it. I'd rather have her back safely and hate me then spend the rest of my life wondering if she is alive and well. Wouldn't you do that for Magnus?"

Alec was taken aback when he heard Jace's confession along with what he had inquired that it took him a moment to even come up with anything to say, but when he turned to look at his parabatai, seeing the pain in his eyes and face it was then that he forced himself to put aside his thoughts of Clary, because he knew that Jace needed him. He reached out to grasp his brother's shoulder as a looked a determination settled upon his face when he knew deep down that he would do just about anything for Magnus like Jace was trying to do for his beloved. "Just tell me what you need me to do, and I promise that I will do everything in my power to do so."

Jace placed his hand over Alec's hand that rested on his shoulder as a subtle grin played at his lips when he knew deep down in his heart that Alec's words were genuine. "I wouldn't be too eager to promise me anything, because I'm more than sure that you're not going to like anything that I come up with."

~~

Clary's POV

"Ah, I see that you remember this man." Lilith retorted in a placid manner as she went on to stand beside Clary with a smirk upon her lips.

"What is he doing here?" She stated in what she hoped was a calm tone as she tried to not notice the fact that Hodge appeared to have been in some kind of scuffle, because if she did she knew that she would have the urge to help him, and that was the kind of mannerisms that had gotten her in the circumstance she was currently in.

"This dolt of a man was the one that was supposed to advise Jonathan as he took over your father's work, whilst also being left in charge of watching over you both, and instead of doing as he was told, he allowed Jonathan to come into harms way. It is time that he pays the price for what he has allowed to happen, and it is only right that he die by your hand." Lilith stated in a malignant manner.

"Clarissa, please don't do this. I swear that I had nothing to do with what happened to Jonathan. He casted me aside as soon as your father passed away, and wanted to proceed with your father's work in his own way." Hodge voiced in a daunted manner as he desperately tried to make Clary believe him.

Clary averted her gaze as she witnessed Hodge all but begging for his life, and that didn't go unnoticed by Lilith, making her direct her full attention onto Clary as she scoffed. "You can't seriously be feeling sorry for this imbecile. He abandoned your brother when he needed him the most. The Old Laws demand a life for a life in order to restore the balance after what we are about to accomplish, and it is only right that it is his life that will be used to bring your brother back. Now are you going to allow his futile attempts at begging for forgiveness to get in the way of bringing Jonathan back?" She retorted through clenched teeth as her patience was severely being tested in this moment.

Clary pinched her eyes shut as she relayed Lilith's words in her mind, attempting to focus on the most important task at hand, but that didn't stop her from feeling a sense of dread at the mere thought of killing one of her own. Just before she could tell Lilith that she couldn't go through with this task, Clary suddenly felt a wave of enmity wash over her as if someone was influencing her next actions, because in the next moment her seraph blade was suddenly in her hand. Its name spilled from her lips, allowing it to come to life in her hand before the blade was suddenly embedded into his heart in one fluid motion, but as soon as she removed the blade from his chest it finally dawned on her on what had just happened. Her grasp loosened on the hilt of the blade, causing it to slip from her grasp entirely and fall onto the floor as a sense of remorse overpowered her as she willed herself to fixate her gaze elsewhere as Hodge's body then fell onto the ground with a loud thud.

 _What have I just done?_ Clary voiced within her mind before Lilith gained her attention back, and as soon as their gazes met, the same tendrils of enmity all but consumed her before she forced herself to look away from Lilith, gritting her teeth with the effort it took when it became clear that Lilith was trying to take over her once again. "What did you just make me do?" She voiced with such vehemence.

A sly grin settled upon Lilith's lips as she walked over to stand in front of Clary before she gently titled her face up to meet her gaze. "I merely gave you a push to do what was needed since it was so clear that you couldn't complete the task on your own. It seems as if that boy you so foolishly became infatuated with has managed to make you so soft. It's time that you give into those darkest desires that have always been within you, and I will kindly help you." She didn't allow Clary to even give a response as she went on to allow herself to invade Clary's mind, pushing the humane part of herself into the deepest depths of her mind in order to allow the rather iniquitous side of Clary to take over her once again. Lilith watched as Clary blinked warily as if she was awakening from a dream-like state before she met her gaze. "Are you ready for your next task, Clarissa?"

A noxious grin settled upon Clary's lips as she held Lilith's steady gaze. "Of course, my Lady of Edom."

~~

Clary removed the gag from the vampire's mouth in a rough manner, proceeding to ignore the rather vulgar things that was coming from their mouth as she forced herself to put her bare forearm in front of their mouth. "Just shut up, and—" She didn't even get to finish her statement when all of the sudden she cried out in response to their fangs sinking into her flesh harshly, forcing herself to keep her composure as she waited until she was sure that they had enough. "Alright, it's time to stop." She spoke through clenched teeth and just when she thought she was going to have to pry them off of her forearm, she flinched in response to them releasing her flesh in a rough manner, making her resist the urge to rub her now sore arm and instead she pulled the vampire up to his feet before tugging at their restraints in order to get him to follow her, ignoring the low hiss that escaped their lips when the restraints were most likely burning into their skin as they made their way towards the area where Lilith was caressing Jonathan's face as he now rested on top of a table.

Lilith looked up in time to see Clary push the vampire towards the table, allowing her to get a better look at them, as well as sense the noticeable change in him that caused her to relish in the feeling of being able to bring her son back to her. "It is now time that you feed from my son then allow him to feed from you."

The vampire snorted as he looked at the Lilith with mild disbelief showing on his features. "There is no way that I am going to drink his blood. It's beyond tainted by this point. You've had your fun with teaching me a lesson, and giving me a free meal, but now I demand that you release me." He growled out.

Lilith tried to keep her temper at bay as she placed a amiable grin upon her lips as she spoke in a gentle tone. "If you do this simple task for us then you will be free to leave, and I promise that you will receive some sort of payment."

Clary saw through Lilith's fake façade right away as she refrained from laughing when she noticed how gullible this vampire was for thinking that he would be set free, making her only more anxious than before to have the honor of killing him once his only purpose for being here was finished with.

"It's a deal then." The vampire noted calmly when he carefully thought over what she had promised him before he felt Clary's grip on him loosen enough to allow him to lean down towards Jonathan's body, attempting to not grimace as he went on to do something that went against everything he was taught. As his fangs were about to pierce through the porcelain flesh in front of him, the thought of trying to make a run for it passed through his mind, but he knew he had to go through with this rather vile act to gain their trust, so that's just what he did.

Both Clary and Lilith tensed ever so slightly as they watched the vampire drink from Jonathan for some time before he recoiled from Jonathan altogether, looking as if he had poisoned, but Clary paid no attention to him as she moved towards the table, peering down at her brother. Something felt wrong as she saw no sign of him awakening as Lilith had promised when they just went through the motions of creating the Daylighter in order for his bite to awaken Jonathan.

Tears of frustration began to fill her eyes as she shook her head in a defiant manner, ignoring what Lilith was saying as Clary removed her dagger from her belt as she positioned her hand over Jonathan's face before proceeding to slice the palm of her hand with its blade, watching as blood began to drip down onto Jonathan's lips.

And everything seemed to move in a blur after what Clary had just done. One moment Jonathan remained as still as he had been for so long until his eyes sprung open out of nowhere, causing Clary to gasp aloud in surprise, but soon nothing else in the world mattered in that moment. It was just the both of them in that room together, and without Clary's consent her lips began to move on their own accord, murmuring the unfamiliar words that were being said in her mind as she reached out to grasp her brother's hand in order to slice the palm of his hand with her dagger as well before she clasped their hands together, allowing their blood to join as one, whilst a sense of pain started to spread out against the front portion of her shoulder blade and slightly up along her collarbone that almost caused her legs to give out on her as she waited for the pain to finally come to an abrupt stop before a sense of serenity filled her entire core, allowing all of her thoughts of her friends and family to fall away from her mind until all she could focus on was the delicate thread that now bound her to Jonathan.

Lilith's maniacal laughter filled the room as she watched the binding rune take affect upon Clary as her lifeline was the only reason why her son was now alive and breathing once again.

 _We are now bound together as one_ _, my dearest sister._ She heard Jonathan's voice speak in her mind before she watched as he rose up from the table, keeping hold of her hand until he only let go to be able to bring her into his arms, holding her against him where she always belonged.

 _ **A/N: I hope that you all enjoyed the different POVs in this chapter. I also wanted to take the time to address a question that I've noticed has been asked once again. I was sure that I answered this already, but just to make it clear, yes this is a Clace story. Always has been.**_


	19. A moment of weakness

Clary's POV

She awoke with a start, her breathing was nearly ragged as she abruptly rose up into a sitting position, attempting to calm herself down enough to figure out why she had woken up so startled to begin with.

And not even a full moment had passed when she realized that she wasn't alone in the room, but before she could begin to panic over who had managed to sneak into her room during some point of the night, she felt a sense of familiarity flow through her all of the sudden, which allowed her to let out the breath she had been holding before she dared to peek over her shoulder, using the dim illumination that was peeking through the curtains of the window in order to see a figure lying down beside her.

A feeling of relief flowed through her entire core as soon as she realized that it was only Jonathan, but soon that relief turned into worry, because she recalled that when they were younger they used to sneak into one another's room when one of them was upset, which made Clary want to just throw her arms around him to give him the comfort that he was so desperately needing, but the only reason why she hadn't acted upon that final thought was for the fact that she could tell that he was in a deep sleep, and now that she was more aware of her surroundings then she was a few moments ago, she was left feeling rather foolish for almost freaking out for no apparent reason, because now she was able to sense his presence within her as well as how he was feeling in response to him being so close to her in this moment.

That thought brought back the memory of the first time that she had realized that they now almost shared some sort of bond between them that allowed them to sense each other's presence, along with being able to feel what the other felt at times. It had all started on the day that she had brought him back to life, and it had been such a strange thing to experience, but it was worth getting used to if it meant that she finally had him back in her life again.

A sudden movement allowed her to escape from her internal thoughts in time to witness the tell-tale signs of Jonathan experiencing a night terror, making her frown as she went on to gently lay back down on her side before she wrapped an arm around him, feeling him immediately begin to settle down in response to her subtle touch. "Shh. It's okay, Jon. I'm here, and I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

"Clary…" Jonathan murmured in a sleepy manner as he settled against her hold before he instinctively moved to place his hand over hers.

A mirthful smile settled upon her lips as she leaned up to place a gentle kiss against his cheek before she settled back down to her original position. "Go back to sleep, Jon. We both need our rest, because tomorrow will mark the first day that we begin the cleansing of this world."

~~

Two weeks later

Her nose wrinkled in disgust as the scent of mothballs filled the entire room, and to her utter disbelief the entire store was nearly filled to the brim with massive amounts of junk that she couldn't believe how anyone could ever find their way out of here. She averted her gaze in the direction to where Jonathan had begun to make his way past piles of miscellaneous items, making his way towards a counter in the back of the store, and it was then that she noticed an elderly man standing behind it with his arms crossed over his chest. She carefully made her way towards her brother as she made sure to keep her senses on high alert in case someone else was in the room with them, just as she heard her brother say something in Czech, but it wasn't until she made it to the counter that she noticed that the man wasn't actually a man after all. It was a Vetis demon, causing her to fight back the urge to grimace when it now made sense as to why this place was the way it was.

"I wasn't told that you were bringing a girl along with you." The Vetis demon exclaimed with disgust.

Jonathan gritted his teeth as he tried to remain calm before he forced himself to speak in a cordial manner, because he could not afford to have this exchange to go awry when he was so close to getting what he wanted. "This girl, happens to be my sister. I'm sure you've heard of Clarissa through the grapevine, but enough with the introductions. Do you have the item that I asked for?"

Clary had to hide back her disgust when she so happened to notice the way the demon was suddenly looking her over, which cause her to involuntarily shiver as she took a step closer to Jonathan in an absent-minded manner.

The demon grumbled in an irritable manner as he then had no choice but to avert his gaze back onto Jonathan. "Of course I have what you've asked for, but now I don't think you can buy it for the price we settled on earlier. Are you willing to trade something else towards it? And in exchange I may be able to provide you the location of the next thing you will seek out after you have what you've come for in your grasp." He retorted with a slight edge to his tone.

Jonathan inclined his head to the side as his eyes narrowed slightly in response to hearing what the demon just said. "I had your word that you would take the offer I had given you. And now you have the audacity to ask for more? Am I hearing you correctly?" Jonathan demanded with slight vehemence in his tone before he slammed down a bag onto the counter that contained a vast amount of coins.

Clary attempted to not laugh when she realized that Jonathan was so close to losing his temper, so just to be sure that her composure wouldn't slip in front of their current company, she stepped away from both men in order to wander off a little ways, but not too far enough that she couldn't be at her brother's side within a moments notice.

The corner of the demon's mouth lifted into a devious smirk as he took the bag and placed it behind the counter before he placed a hunk of rock onto the counter in front of Jonathan. "There's no need to get all riled up. I accept your offer for this priceless item, but my other offer still stands. Aren't you curious to know what knowledge I have about the whereabouts of a particular person that will be able to aide you with this item?"

Jonathan's patience was wearing thin by this point as he went on to place the adamas into a pouch before he slipped it into one of the pockets of his jacket, proceeding to look back up at the demon with a forced grin as he was about to fake interest about what the demon was about to say. "Well, why didn't you mention that vital information earlier, Mirek? Of course I'm more than interested, but what is it that you want in return?"

The demon flashed him a toothy grin before he pointed a finger in Clary's direction. "I want her."

Clary had been in the process of pretending to be intrigued by a pile of books, but as soon as she heard what the demon had said, she suddenly tensed up as her hand inched its way towards her nearest weapon in a discreet manner as she waited for her brother's next orders.

Jonathan went all rigid upon hearing the demon's request, but he knew that he shouldn't act upon his instinct of killing this demon just yet, and in all honesty he thought this demon was an idiot for even thinking that he would give his precious sister away as if she meant nothing to him. "Before I even think about agreeing to your terms, it's only right that you elaborate a tiny bit more about what I'll be getting if I hand my sister over to you."

The demon nearly groaned with anticipation at the thought of what he would do once Clary was in his grasp that he went on to blurt out the information on accident. "I have the location of the Iron Sister that you seek. The one that goes by Magdalena."

Now it was Jonathan's turn to smirk in a malignant manner in response to hearing the information the demon had supplied to him. "On any other given day, I would have accepted your offer right away, but I'm sorry to say that, that information doesn't appeal to me. Especially since I have already made contact with that woman, but I applaud you for your attempt to get a bargain out of me. It's just a shame that you won't be around long enough to warn anyone about the consequences that come with anyone that tries to take advantage of a Morgenstern."

The demon's smug demeanor was gone in a flash and was replaced with mild confusion until he witnessed Jonathan raising a blade that suddenly appeared in his hand out of thin air, causing him to recoil before he spoke a string of words in an unknown language, and proceeded to turn his attention back onto Clary with the intention of harming her before Jonathan could stop him.

Jonathan was about to make his first move, but he paused mid action when he realized what the demon was saying before his attention was solely on his sister, making his breathing falter as he watched in horror as something was about to strike her. "Clarissa!" He shouted with a note of panic laced in his tone.

Clary jumped into action upon hearing her name being shouted, grasping the hilt of her dagger in time to embed it into the body of the Elapid demon that was still making its way towards her, but now its movements were slowed down enough to give her time to remove her seraph blade from her weapons belt before murmuring its name to ignite it. She waited until the creature was just within her reach before she moved out of its way at the very last moment, catching it by surprise as she went on to slice its head off cleanly with one fluid motion. She ignored the pain that came with the ichor splashing against some of her exposed flesh as she witnessed the head crumple onto the ground before the demon vanished back to its real, feeling quite pleased with herself at how she disposed of the demon so quickly, but as soon as she looked over at Jonathan, that smugness vanished as she witnessed something rising up from behind him.

"Jonathan, get down!" She shouted as she had already broken out into a sprint, grasping the hilt of her last dagger as she watched Jonathan duck down in time for her to strike the demon in the chest, but she didn't stop there. She dodged its attempt of trying to clamp his teeth onto her arm as she brought the dagger straight down in order to gut the demon entirely, ignoring the splatter of ichor that now coated more of her flesh as she watched this one vanish as well before she tossed aside her now destroyed dagger. She whirled around when she then heard a cry, but she shouldn't have worried because she got to witness her brother disposing of Mirek and his last comrades with such ease, which allowed her to relax ever so slightly as she waited for Jonathan to turn around to face her before she crossed her arms over her chest as she narrowed her verdant hues in a semi playful manner. "You owe me a new outfit and shoes to match it."

Jonathan shook his head in disbelief as he couldn't help but chuckle as he made his way towards her. "I will give you everything you desire and so much more as soon as our work is done, and we are both ruling our new world. You have my word. But for now I think we should get cleaned up, and I will take you out to celebrate our tiny victory today."

Clary perked up immediately upon hearing his final words, which brought a wicked grin onto her lips as she peered up at him. "Sounds like a plan."

~~

Some hours had passed since both siblings had gone out to celebrate their earlier accomplishment, but Clary had soon found herself growing restless amongst the current company she had been in, which is how she soon found herself traveling to a familiar location after she had left her brother in the care of some random women that were more than willing to keep him happy by any means necessary even though he had suggested that she stay and get in on the action. Maybe on another day, she would have been tempted to accept his request, but tonight something allowed her to deny his request altogether to go on to do something that was for her own pleasure and not his.

It didn't go unnoticed that he was hurt that she had brushed him off so easily, but Clary didn't let that get to her, because her attention was soon focused on what she could only describe as a tugging sensation. That mere feeling led her to a place that she never thought she would dare take a step back into, but nonetheless she now found herself in the corridor of the Institute that she had called home for a short time.

After a quick search and a useful cloaking rune, Clary was sure that no one would be able to sense her presence, but that didn't stop her from feeling a sense of nervousness as she continued to follow the pull that had led her to this place to begin with until she stopped outside a particular door. And soon she found that she couldn't muster up the courage to make the next step, which almost caused her to cry out in frustration, because she couldn't bring herself to open one goddamn door. She knew deep down that if she allowed herself to give in to what her heart desired that it could set her back from all the work she had done in order to better herself for her new life that she was helping to create with Jonathan, but then another side of her was all but begging her to reunite with her other half.

An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she went on to pinch the bridge of her nose as she shut her eyes for a brief moment. "Pull yourself together, Clarissa!" She chided herself before she forced herself to take a deep breath before she opened the door wide enough for her to slip past through, proceeding to shut it behind her as she blinked a few times to adjust to the darkness. But what she hadn't expected was to then be momentarily blinded by the bright light of the bedroom, causing her to blink multiple times once again to adjust to the lighting before she saw a familiar figure now sitting upright in the bed that was right in her current line of vision.

She had to fight back the urge to laugh in response to seeing a very confused Jace, looking around the room in a frantic manner which was almost too comical, but she knew that it was probably time that she revealed herself to him. She reached down to retrieve a knife from its sheath, using the tip of it to slice a clean slash along the cloaking rune before she wiped the blade clean and placed it back in its place.

"Clary?" Jace inquired in disbelief as he stayed put on the bed, thinking that he was probably full on crazy now if he was starting to have hallucinations of her. And his sleep deprived state wasn't helping the situation, making him hunch over in defeat as he buried his face in his hands as if he could rid himself of her memory altogether.

Clary hadn't been expecting that kind of reaction from him, which made her frown before she mustered up the courage to close the gap between them, raising a slightly trembling hand to allow her fingers to brush through his tousled locks.

Jace went completely still as he felt her gently running her fingers through his hair, causing him to quickly look up at her. "You're really here?"

Clary smiled down at him in an amiable manner as she then moved to rest her hand against his cheek. "Of course I'm really here."

He sucked in a breath as realization hit him, and before he could talk himself out of what he was about to do, he had already pulled her down onto him in one quick fluid motion, which earned him a soft squeak of surprise from her that he relished in as his lips sought out for hers, whilst his hands settled upon her waist.

Clary had been so caught off guard by his sudden actions that it took her a moment to realize what was going on, but when she did, oh did she really play along. She managed to straddle his lap as their lips brushed against one another's in a clumsy and passionate manner before a shiver of delight traveled throughout her entire body in response to feeling his fingers grasp her so tightly.

"I've missed you so much." Jace murmured in between kisses before he had to suppress a groan when he felt her shift on his lap, which caused her to brush against a particular sensitive part of himself.

Clary nearly gasped aloud when she felt his hardness press against her, and just as she thought this moment couldn't get any better, she was taken aback by his sudden boldness when he broke their kiss in order to suck and nip at her pulse in a rough manner, which made her moan aloud in a not so ladylike manner. In this moment she couldn't find the strength to not allow herself to proceed any further than she had intended to do, because before she realized what she was doing, she had already begun to trail her fingers down along his bare chest until reaching the waistband of his boxers, giving them a gentle tug to grab his attention. "J-Jace…"

He quickly caught on to what she was demanding for in a not so subtle manner, making him want to oblige so eagerly, but first there was something that he desperately needed to find out before he even thought about continuing their current actions. He couldn't believe what he was about to do, but in a gentle manner he managed to pull away from her a little ways, waiting until she looked up at him before he flashed her an apologetic look then proceeded to clear his throat. "I have to ask you something, Clary."

She shook her head in a stubborn manner as she leaned forward to place kisses down along his jawline. "Shush. You're ruining the moment." She nearly whined before she nipped at his earlobe in a teasing manner.

Jace had to choke back a groan in response to her current actions, but as soon as she took it a step further by slipping her hand within the confines of his boxers and took him into her grasp where she began to slowly pump him is where he felt his composure falter. "Shit." He said in a slightly breathless manner.

Clary smirked in a prurient way in response to noticing that his composure was slipping little by little as she went on to release him from her grasp after she was sure that he was ready for her, and just as he was about to protest, she watched him watch her in awe as she reached down to slip her hand underneath her skirt, moving her panties aside as she wriggled into a more comfortable position. And just as she was about to make the next move, she froze as soon as she felt him brush her hand aside to allow him to be in control, which made her even more turned than she could have ever imagined herself to be in this moment. Her fingers dug into his shoulders ever so slightly when she felt him press the tip of his cock against her entrace, but when it become clear that he wasn't going to go any further than that, she whimpered lowly as she tried to move in order to get some sort of relief from the almost painful ache between her legs. "Jace... Please..."

He leaned forward to take her bottom lip in between his teeth before he released it and flashed her a sly smirk as he held her gaze. "Tell me what you want, Clary, and I'll happily oblige." He murmured in a husky tone.

Clary moved her hips impatiently when it became perfectly clear that he was not allowing her to bear down in order to get what she wanted. "Jace!" She whined.

"Tell me that you need this as much as I do. I need to hear you say it aloud, Clary." He whispered to her as he teasingly forced himself against her, but kept her immobile until she gave him what he wanted.

Clary let out a cry of frustration as she grabbed a fistful of his hair as she gritted her teeth. "Just fuck me already!"

Jace brought her down onto his erect cock so harshly that caused them both to gasp aloud in response to the incredible sensation, but he wasn't done just yet. He gripped her waist firmly as he slid her up until only the tip of his cock was kept within her before he brought her back down with surprising speed and force before he repeated that carnal act over and over.

Clary cried out as she was raised up and brought back down repeatedly as Jace filled her to the very brim with each movement as he grunted lowly in the process. She held onto him for dear life as she helped him by matching his movements even though she was a panting mess at this point as she felt a familiar coil begin to make its presence known from deep within her belly, and just as she thought it couldn't get any better than this, she was caught by surprise during a particular violent thrust that caused her to all but scream his name. She was so caught up in this most pleasurable moment that she didn't even pay attention to the pain he was inflicting on her bare skin as he kept her in his tight grasp.

Jace groaned once again as he felt her walls contracting around him almost too painfully, knowing that she was just as close to her climax as he was, which caused him to bring his lips towards her ear to allow him to murmur such lewd-like comments to her as he brought her back down not once but twice with enough force to bring them both to the sweet state of pure ecstasy.

Clary buried her face against his shoulder to muffle her whimpers as she felt her walls spasm around his cock, milking him for all his worth as she felt him fill her with his seed with each final thrust he gave her before he removed himself from her entirely, bringing her down onto the bed with him. She stayed in his embrace as the aftershocks of her orgasm began to gradually pass before she heard him murmur something to her just before exhuastion had overcome him so suddenly. She allowed herself to stay in his hold until she was sure that he was in a deep slumber before she forced herself to climb out of the bed, and proceeded to clean herself up as best as she could, but just as she was about to leave, she decided to leave him something, so he would know that she never would forget about him no matter how far apart they were from one another for the time being.

~~

Clary held her breath as she padded along the cold floor, feeling thankful that she remembered to remove her heels in order to be able to sneak into the apartment more stealthily, but just as she was reaching the first step of the stairs, she stopped dead in her tracks when a light was turned on.

"Care to enlighten me as to where you might have been? Because I was under the impression that my angel of a sister was at home sleeping, but to my surprise when I got home, she was nowhere to be found." Jonathan stated in a slightly agitated manner.

Clary internally groaned before she stomped her way up the stairs to meet her maker, feeling rather stupid for having tried to keep her little detour a secret from Jonathan. It wasn't until she was standing in front of him that she realized just how upset he was by witnessing his rather cold demeanor. "If you expect an apology, well then you're shit out of luck. I don't regret misleading you when I said that I was going straight home from the club, because I knew that if I told you that I wanted to go out on my own that you would get all over protective and not let me out of your sight. So, in reality I guess it's really your fault." She retorted in a saucy-like manner as she forced herself to meet his gaze as to not cower under his towering frame.

Jonathan clenched his jaw in response to both her words and attitude, and it didn't help that her words were partially true, because even he had to admit that he could be quite overbearing at times, but it was only because he truly cared for her wellbeing. "I'd ask if you enjoyed your time, but I already know the answer to that question." He nearly retorted in a low growl as he proceeded to pull aside a part of his shirt to reveal multiple markings along his neck.

Clary's eyes widened in alarm before she felt her cheeks begin to burn in response to her utter embarrassment when it dawned on her that of course he would know what she had done because of the bond that now tied them together, but she'd be damned if she allowed him to make her feel terrible about what she had just done, causing her to hold her head up high as she spoke through clenched teeth. "Don't you dare stand there and judge me for having a good time. I don't say shit to you when I have to both witness and feel what you do with all of those whores that you so kindly bring home with you. So, what I do on my own free time shouldn't be any concern of yours. Now will you so kindly step aside so I can get some rest before our next errand." She didn't bother to allow him to say anything as she so rudely pushed him aside as she started to walk past him.

Jonathan was taken aback by her sudden behavior, because it had been the first time that she had lashed out at him since he had been resurrected. He didn't know how she had managed to defy him tonight, but he wasn't about to let this one incident pass without reminding her who she was speaking to. With that thought in mind he clamped his fingers around her wrist before she could get away from him, pulling her back a few steps until she finally caved and met his burning gaze. "Tread lightly little sister, because I am the only one in this entire world that you can fully trust, and relate to than any other person. Don't let your feelings get in the way of our plans."

Clary had enough of this self-righteous asshole for one night, which made her pull her wrist free of his hold roughly, relishing in the feel of the pain that came with it as she forced a half-hearted smile upon her lips. "Don't worry, big brother. I know my role in this plan, and I don't intend on letting anything or anyone get in our way. Nor should you get so worked up over the fact that I too have needs, and I will take care of them on my own terms just as you do. Now I will ask you only one more time… Can you please let me pass so I can get some sleep?" She was surprised that he actually stepped aside, allowing her to slip past him without him saying anything that she quickly took advantage and made her way towards her bedroom where she proceeded to lock herself in. She heaved a sigh as she rested her back against the door, giving herself a moment to compose herself before she went on to get ready for bed, allowing herself to recall back on the time she had just spent with Jace to help relieve her current stress so she could hopefully get some much needed rest.

~~

Jonathan's POV

He couldn't bring himself to head directly back to his room to get some sleep after his little quarrel with Clary, so instead he took a much needed shower, and though the hot water had helped ease the tension in his body, he couldn't help but try to recall when Clary had started to act so out of character.

He was in the process of turning off the water before he reached out to grab his towel, wrapping it around himself as he stepped out of the shower when a moment of today's events came to his mind, causing him to step in front of the mirror, using his hand to wipe away the steam that covered it, and what he saw next had him drying himself in a rush before he put on his boxers and all but stormed out of the bathroom. He couldn't believe he had been so stupid that he didn't think to look over their injuries or else he would have noticed that during some point of their battle that somehow her mark that tied them as one had been tampered with.

That revelation alone was enough to have him nearly holding in his breath as he pushed open her door, expecting to find the room completely empty and his sister probably as far away from as possible, but to his utter astonishment, Clary was sleeping rather heavily in her bed. He let out the breath he had been holding as he quietly went over towards the bed, using the light that was peeking through the door to allow him to retrieve her stele that was resting upon her bedside table before he brushed aside her hair in order to see the mark they each shared. To his dismay, his hunch about her mark being tampered with had been correct. He waited a moment to make sure she wasn't about to wake up before he quickly went about placing an iratze near the area, whilst inwardly praying that she wouldn't wake up, and to his surprise she only whimpered in her sleep until he was done before she turned onto her side, pulling her blankets over herself as she did so that caused a subtle smile to settle upon his lips as he watched her sleep for a moment longer before he spoke in a low murmur. "Everything will be back to normal when you wake up tomorrow, little sister. Rest well." He knew he was pushing it when he leaned down to place a kiss against her temple, but he couldn't help it. He loved her too much to be upset with her. Especially when it was clear that it wasn't her fault that she defied his orders earlier, that helped settled the worry that lingered within him that she would turn her back against him again, and once he was content with her wellbeing, he was able to leave the room entirely, and make his way to his own room where he hoped to be able to quiet his mind. Even if it was only for a short while.

~~

He awoke the next morning in response to some noises coming from downstairs, making him elicit a noise of irritation as he was about to close his eyes to get a few more moments of sleep until he realized that Clary must have woken up already, which caused him to bolt out of bed and make his way downstairs in a rush. He didn't know if the iratze would've fixed their bonding rune until he was face-to-face with her, which made him feel slightly anxious, but as soon as gaze settled on her, he knew that everything was back to normal.

"Good morning, Jon! I hope you're hungry, because I made you something special!" Clary exclaimed in an enthusiastic manner as she flashed him an amorous smile before she waved him off, so he couldn't peek at what she had made him.

Jonathan returned her smile with one of his own as he held his hands up in defeat when she all but banished him from the kitchen. "Alright, I get the hint." He murmured in an amused manner before he strode off towards the dining room.

Clary waited until he left the room before she went back to putting the finishing touches on the breakfast she had just made for them both, and once she was satisfied that everything looked as perfect as she had imagined it to be, did she finally emerge from the kitchen with a plate in each hand. She set his plate down in front of him before she sauntered over towards her seat as she silently prayed that he would like what she made, but when he didn't say anything she couldn't help but frown slightly. "You don't like it? I can make you something else. What would you like?"

Jonathan looked up at her when he heard her disappointment, making him reach across the table to grasp her hand gently with a smile. "I love what you have made. I was just too surprised that you went through all that trouble when we could've just gone somewhere to get breakfast."

Clary was more than relived that it appeared that he genuinely enjoyed what she had managed to whip up on such short notice, but upon hearing his last words, she shook her head as she grinned over in his direction. "It was no trouble at all, and I prefer home cooked meals better than going out. And I may have had another motive for doing this…"

Jonathan quirked a brow in a curious manner when he heard her last words that had peeked his interest. "And what might that motive have been?" He inquired before he started to go through the motions of cutting into the stack of waffles she had made him with all the fixings that he enjoyed.

Clary shrugged her shoulder in a semi casual manner as she focused on cutting up her waffles as well. "I may or may not have done this as some sort of apology for how I acted last night. You know that I didn't mean to be such a bitch to you, right? I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you when I said I would go straight home, and instead I took a slight detour along the way."

Jonathan waved off her apology as he was trying to finish eating the bite of waffles he had just put into his mouth, taking a moment to clean his mouth with a napkin before he looked over at her. "I should've been the one to apologize to you, and gone out of my way to do anything to make you forgive me. I shouldn't have been so hard on you when you've been just as invested on what we are trying to accomplish as I have, and you should be allowed to have a little time to yourself. Let's just put this in the past, and move forward with the next part of our plan, alright?" He watched as Clary nodded in agreement with him before they both dug into their food as they went on to discuss the plan for today's next errand.

~~

Jace's POV

He would've thought that last night's events were merely a dream if it hadn't been for the fact that there had been a note left in plain sight for him to see. He had to read it over a few times to make sure that he fully understood what she was saying.

 _I'm sorry that I left so abruptly, and that I can't be there with you when you wake up, but just know that I love you, so much, Jace. Please don't forget that. I hope that one day you will forgive me for what I'm about to do, and that you can find it in yourself to still want me in your life when word reaches you about what I've been helping to do. If you still believe that we are meant to be together no matter our differences then please meet me at our special place at midnight. But know that if you choose to not show up that I don't blame you at all, and that I will always love you. Until my very last breath. – Clary._

He didn't know what to think of the rather cryptic note she had left him, but he did know that he wouldn't give up on her. He knew deep down that his Clary was still alive within her, and it was then that he vowed to do everything in his power to bring his Clary back by any means necessary. Even if that meant that he had to turn his back on his family if they tried to get in his way when he made up his mind and decided that he was going to meet with her tonight.


	20. Conflicted

Clary cursed under her breath when she noticed what time it was, causing her to hurry up with the current task at hand, which was to make sure that she left no evidence behind at all before she left the place she was currently at. She crouched down beside the body that was lying at her feet as she removed her stele from her weapons belt before she went on to hastily draw a particular rune that she had now grown so accustom to using recently onto the nearest exposed flesh of the victim, and barely had a chance to cover her face to attempt to not get a waft of the horrendous smell that came with this next part when the body began to disintegrate right in front of her.

She then rose up to her feet as she uncovered her face, wrinkling her nose with pure disgust showing upon her features before she reached out to retrieve the item she had been sent here to collect in the first place, tucking it into the mini backpack she brought with her so her hands would be free to use in case she ran into trouble. After she placed the backpack on she rushed over towards the back room where she tried to clean herself up as she best as she could, but after she gave a quick glance at her phone once again, she realized it was already after midnight, making her curse once again before she grasped her ring between two fingers, twisting it with such ease as she shut her eyes briefly until she felt the soles of her boots come into contact with different ground.

She opened her eyes warily as she took in her current surroundings, seeing that she was now standing outside of her family manor, but that didn't stop her from making sure to scan the area around her more thoroughly for any signs of anyone keeping lookout around the estate, and once she was sure that no one was in sight, she broke out into a jog towards the vast amounts of trees that surrounded the estate, hoping that the one she came to meet was still waiting for her.

That thought caused a mischievous grin to appear upon her lips as she couldn't help but think of all the many great things that would surely come if she managed to recruit this particular individual for the greatest event in history that was already happening.

~~

Jace's gaze landed on Clary as soon as she came into view, making him feel a surge of happiness course through his entire being, because he was finally going to be reunited with the one person that he felt so connected to in this entire world. That thought had him rushing over towards her in order to grasp her by her waist, pulling her flush against him as he smiled down at her before leaning down to place a gentle kiss upon her lips, and proceeded to murmur against them. "I was starting to think that you stood me up." He noted with a teasing lilt to his tone.

Clary gripped onto the front of his shirt to keep him in place when she noticed that he was pulling away, which allowed her to give him a tender kiss in return before she pulled back and peered up at him through her lashes with an apologetic smile upon her face. "I'm sorry, Jace. I was on my way to meet with you, but something came up, and I lost track of time. Do you forgive me?" She batted her eyelashes as she jutted out her lip into a pout, whilst attempting to not break her composure when she felt rather ridiculous right now.

The corner of his mouth lifted into a slightly amused smirk as he went on to rest the palm of his hand against her cheek with the pure intention of replying to her, but the only thing that stopped him from doing so was when he felt something dewy come in contact with the flesh of his hand, making him remove his hand from her face entirely. His brows furrowed as he turned his hand around to look at it, but when he immediately figured out what the substance was that was now coated onto his skin, he couldn't help but feel a rush of panic flow through him. "Are you hurt, Clary?" He inquired in an anxious manner before he started to look her over completely from head to toe.

Clary was beyond confused as to why he was freaking out up until she went on to wipe the part of her face that Jace had just touched, and it was then that she realized that she hadn't cleaned herself up well enough as she had hoped. That mere revelation caused her to curse under her breath once again before she batted his hand away when he was fretting over her wellbeing too much, which allowed her to use the sleeve of her shirt to wipe her face clean, and gave her a moment to compose herself so she could speak to him calmly. "I swear that I'm alright, Jace. It's not my blood." She inwardly winced when she realized that she just messed up, but it was far too late for her to take back what was just said.

Jace blinked in disbelief upon hearing and seeing how calm and collected she seemed to be after what he just found out, but it wasn't until he heard her last words that made him go completely still. "What did you just say?"

Clary nearly rolled her eyes in response to feeling so annoyed in this moment with how he was being right now that it nearly made her completely break character. She drew in a deep breath to calm herself before she spoke in the same calm and collected manner as before. "I just told you that it wasn't my blood. I'm not hurt in any way. Now can you stop ruining the mood by being so overly protective. You're starting to remind me of…" She barely caught herself in time before she said Jonathan's name aloud, which made her inwardly wince once again because that was too close of a call.

"Then whose blood is it, Clary?" It wasn't until he really looked at her properly that he noticed something. It was just a subtle change, but it was enough for him to see that something wasn't right.

Clary refrained from sighing when it seemed that Jace wasn't going to drop the issue, so against her better judgement, she decided she would just say the truth, and see how he would react. "Before I came here I had to make sure that I didn't leave any loose ends. But if it makes you feel any better, I can say for a fact that it wasn't anyone that would be missed." She pursed her lips as another thought came to her mind, which made the corner of her mouth lift up into a slight smirk. "Now that I think about it… I actually think I did her a favor."

It didn't take Jace long to get what she was telling him, but when he did he took a step back from her, shaking his head as if to help clear his mind before he flashed her a startled look. "I don't know who I am even talking to right now. Because the girl that I love wouldn't harm an innocent person. And I know damn well that the person that is standing right in front of me isn't the same person that left me that letter."

Clary's brow raised up in a confused manner in response to his last words, but after a moment she recalled what he was referring to, and against all odds she elicited a laugh. "You see that's where you are wrong. I'm still the same girl that you fell in love with. You knew of my past even before we cross paths, and I'm sure you've heard various rumors about what I've done to get where I am today. And with all that being said, I'm left confused as to why you believe that I've somehow changed all of the sudden."

Jace shook his head in disbelief as he felt as if he were speaking to a complete stranger, and he couldn't deny the ache that formed within the confines of his chest when he witnessed how cold she was being in this moment. "You just proved the point that I've been trying to get you to understand. You don't care at all about anything. You acted as if the life that you admitted to just taking was nothing. And now I feel so foolish, because I just fell for your lies that even led me to coming out to see you in the first place."

Clary rolled her eyes to the heavens when he brought up her latest victim once again, which only made a flash of pure disgust pass along her features for a mere second before she managed to compose herself. "If you knew who that woman was, I bet you would've been grateful that I didn't allow her to live another day and continue on with what she was doing for a living." She closed the space between them, lifting her hand up to place against his cheek as she forced a subtle smile upon her lips. "And as for the caring part of your speech… You're actually wrong. There is still one thing that I care so deeply about. And that's you, Jace. I tried my best to forget you, but something kept pulling me back to you, and I know deep down that if you actually gave me a chance to even give you a glimpse of what I am trying to do that there would be a good chance that you would join me."

Jace was torn in this moment as he shuddered slightly under her touch, wanting to believe that she was telling the truth, but there was still some part of him that had doubts, and assumed that she was lying. But even with the feeling of doubt, he couldn't stop himself from placing his hand over hers as he stared into her verdant hues. "It's not too late for you stop now before you do something that you won't be able to come back from. Your father and Jonathan are both gone. You can finally move forward and actually be able to make your own decisions and live your life as you want to. And I will help you every step of the way if you allow me to. So will you please come back home with me?" He knew that by allowing himself to be so vulnerable in this moment in front of her that there could be a chance that she would turn down his offer, which would crush him entirely, but he also knew that it would have been worth it because he would know that he did everything in his power to help her. It was that way of thinking that made him grasp her hand even tighter as if he was savoring this moment as if it were their very last one together.

Clary didn't have a chance to even say anything to Jace when all of the sudden she whirled around, her gaze landing immediately onto a particular part of the forest that was right behind them, but as soon as she heard rustling coming from behind her, which made her whirl around to face Jace in time to grasp his free hand to grab his attention, whilst she couldn't help but notice that there was a dagger in his other hand. "There's no need for that. Put it away."

Jace reluctantly pulled his hand away from hers, whilst keeping his grip on his dagger as his gaze narrowed in on the spot that he noticed he saw some sign of movement from. "Clary, get behind me."

Clary ignored Jace altogether as she turned her back on him again, shaking her head as a look of amusement flashed along her features. "You might as well come out now."

"It's such a shame that our favorite angel boy is still much too soft to join us." Jonathan retorted with slight amusement as he stepped out from where he once had been veiled by the trees.

Nothing could have prepared Jace when he witnessed Jonathan stepping out to face both himself and Clary. It felt like minutes had gone by as he tried to convince himself that he was hallucinating, but when Jonathan had gotten even closer, Jace lost it. A tinge of red clouded his vision as a sudden flare of rage coursed through his entire body, and within a moment he jumped into action and charged towards Jonathan.

"Jonathan!" Clary called out to warn him, but in the end her warning was useless, because Jonathan managed to dodge Jace's attack and was now closer to her. Clary let out the breath she had been holding before she broke out into a sprint and put herself in front of Jonathan, and proceeded to retrieve her seraph blade from her weapons belt. "Don't come any closer, Jace."

"Get away from him!" Jace roared as his eyes narrowed in slits as he glared in Jonathan's direction, tightening his grip on the hilt of his dagger as possible scenarios of how he could get Clary away from Jonathan flitted through his mind.

Clary snorted in response to Jace's request as she refrained from rolling her eyes to the heavens. "I'd rather not risk the chance of myself suffering from another injury tonight, because you've just made it clear that you intend on harming my brother again. I thought we were past all of that, Jace."

Jonathan let out a half-hearted laugh as he placed his hand onto Clary's shoulder, pulling her towards himself until her back was pressed against his chest, feeling satisfied a moment later when he felt her relax as soon as they were touching. "Well that wasn't the greeting that I had been expecting."

"Get your hands off of Clary, and step away from her." Jace retorted through clenched teeth as he was studying Jonathan's demeanor, and waited for the right time to make his next move.

A sly smirk displayed upon Jonathan's lips as he went on to slide the hand that was resting on Clary's shoulder down along her arm in a slow manner until he reached her hand, and gently took away her weapon. He noticed the change in Jace's face as soon as that action was done, which only amused Jonathan even more, but he wasn't done messing with him just yet. He went on to lean down to place a kiss against the top of Clary's head before he went on to ignore Jace's presence as his attention was now solely upon Clary. "You had me worried when you didn't arrive back home."

Clary tilted her face back for just a moment to look at Jonathan, flashing him a semi apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Jon. I didn't mean to worry you."

Jace's blood was boiling by this point as he had no choice but to watch Jonathan continue to touch Clary directly in his face, but soon his rage was long forgotten and replaced with shock when he witnessed Clary staying completely calm as Jonathan took away her weapon. It wasn't that action alone that shocked Jace. It was the fact that it was now so clear to him as to why Clary seemed so different to him. It was as if she was perfectly in sync with Jonathan, and every time he would move just a tiny fraction, she would follow him, and when he spoke her eyes appeared to be glazed over as if she were being influenced by him somehow. And now that she was looking up at him, Jace could clearly see a strong look of devotion upon her features that was now making him sick to his stomach. He reluctantly tore has gaze away from Clary in order to glare in Jonathan's direction once again, gritting his teeth as he went on to speak with such animosity laced in his tone. "What have you done to her?"

Jonathan murmured something under his breath for only Clary to hear before he waited for her to oblige by his request before he brought his attention back onto Jace. "I'm not quite sure as to what you're asking. Would you care to elaborate a bit more for me?"

"You know damn well what I am referring to. You're just too much of an ass to actually give me a straight answer. So, I guess I will have to repeat myself. What have you done to Clary?" Jace's patience was wearing thin by this point, and it was taking all of his willpower to not try and attempt to get Clary away from Jonathan right this second.

Jonathan feigned innocence as he shrugged his shoulder in a neutral manner as he made sure that Clary was completely hidden behind him before he ignited the blade he had taken from her a moment ago. "I still am having a hard time understanding what you are so persistent with repeating over and over, because Clary is the same as she has always been."

Jace was growing tired of playing this game with Jonathan, and was so close to losing his composure, but as he forced himself to recall back to the subtle signs he had seen in Clary, he couldn't help but recall back to the night they had just spent with one another. And it was that memory that caused him to suck in a breath when he remembered something that he had gotten a glimpse of during their coital act. "It's that mark, isn't it?" Jace spat as he took a step forward.

Jonathan went completely still upon hearing Jace's words, and couldn't help but wonder how he could possibly know about the mark. But there was only one way he could think of, and that mere thought caused him to whirl around to face Clary. "You were with him last night weren't you?" He was seething by this point, because he knew deep down that it was true, but he needed to hear the answer from her.

Clary nearly flinched in response to how much animosity was laced in Jonathan's tone as he towered over her, but instead of standing her ground as she normally would have done, she kept her head bowed as she looked down at the ground. "Yes, I was. I don't know what came over me last night when I left you. I felt like something was pulling me towards something, and by the time I figured out where I was going, it was too late."

Jonathan shut his eyes briefly as he took a deep breath to calm himself, because he had been so close to going ballistic when he found out it had been Jace that Clary had spent the night with, and to top it off he still had the marks to prove it. But when he was about to finally say something, he barely had time to move aside, pulling Clary with him when something slashed at his side.

Jace stopped mid attack when he had the full intention of striking out at Jonathan again when he heard Clary cry out at the same time that Jonathan had hissed in pain. It was then that he noticed Clary had placed her hand against her side and when she removed her hand it was coated in crimson liquid, making him almost drop his dagger, because he thought he had harmed her instead of Jonathan. "Clary, I didn't mean to." He choked out as a look of anguish flashed along his features.

Clary ignored Jace as she went over to check on Jonathan, swatting his hand away to be able to lift his shirt up, but even though she knew that his injury would be the same as hers, she still wanted to check, and once she was satisfied with what she saw, she turned to face Jace. "If you hurt one of us the other is inflicted as well. Now can you see why I didn't want you to attack Jonathan earlier?"

Jace tossed his weapon aside, keeping his now empty hands out in front of him so she could see that he was now unarmed as he went on to take a few hesitant steps towards her before he finally came to a stop and held out one hand for her to take. "I'm so sorry that I didn't heed your warning. You know that I would never want to hurt you intentionally. It's not too late for you to leave here with me. I promise that I will do everything I can to sever the mark and separate you from him. Can't you see that he's basically controlling you with it?"

Jonathan felt himself go completely still when he saw a look flash along Clary's features so quickly that he couldn't decipher what she was feeling in this moment, but soon that was the last of his worries, because in the next moment, he barely had the chance to take hold of her hand when she was about to take a step towards Jace, causing a wave of anger to flood through his entire being as his burning gaze was now set upon Jace. "Are you actually going to believe anything this imbecile is saying, Clarissa?"

Clary blinked at Jace before she shook her head as if that simple act would be enough to rid her mind of everything that Jace had just said to her before she gritted her teeth and directed her gaze upon him, hating that he even made her begin to doubt her brother. "How dare you accuse Jonathan of controlling me. The only one here that is showing any signs of controlling anyone is you. I can see now that you are so desperately trying to make me turn my back against my own blood. I am willing to put that aside just this once if you will sever all ties with the Clave right now, and allow us to show you how we are going to rebuild this world for the better. So, now it is up to you, Jace. Will you stand with us or will you force me to fight against you when the time comes?"

It pained Jace to say what he did aloud, but she gave him no choice. He felt his throat constrict as he held her steady gaze, clenching his hands into fists as he willed himself to stay centered. "If you're asking me to turn my own back on my family, and go against everything I have been taught since birth then I guess you never really knew me at all. Goodbye, Clary." Jace didn't give her chance to say anything, and instead he turned his back on her, forcing himself to walk away from the one person that he felt so connected to, but the only thing that was keeping him sane in this moment was the promise he was still going to keep somehow.

An array of emotions hit Clary all at once as she watched Jace walking further away, but just as he was about to vanish from her sight altogether, she pulled her hand out of Jonathan's grasp as she strode forward until she stopped just shy of the spot where Jace's dagger was. "You will regret not taking my offer!" She bellowed with such ferocity, waiting until he vanished out of sight completely before she bent down to retrieve the weapon, gripping it so tightly in her grasp.

Jonathan stalked over towards Clary, turning her around to face him with the sole purpose of demanding why she was even wasting time on Jace in the first place, but the only thing that stopped him from doing so was when he noticed that her verdant hues were glistening ever so slightly, causing his chest to constrict as he cupped his hands around her face. "Just say the words, and I will gladly kill him for you."

Clary looked up at Jonathan through the traitorous tears that had formed out of nowhere as a malicious smirk suddenly appeared upon her lips. "No, I will do it myself."

~~

Clary averted her gaze away from the crowd that was gathered in front of her in order to glimpse over at Jonathan, whom was in the middle of giving his speech to the ones that had been carefully selected to join their cause.

She couldn't help but admire the way the moonlight was shining down upon him, allowing her to marvel over his entire form that was covered in the scarlet clothing that was specifically chosen for tonight's festivities. She was dressed in the same color as him, but she knew that she didn't pull this look off as well as he did, and in this moment she wasn't bothered by that at all.

Instead she was completely taken aback by her brother's words, which sent a shiver down her spine against her own will as she couldn't help but feel the power that came with his chosen words, and just as she thought she couldn't be even more blown away by his current actions, she was caught off guard as she watched him step over towards the pentagram that had been neatly drawn in front of him. She watched with complete astonishment upon her features as she witnessed him cutting into his palm as he began to chant in another language before he allowed his now dripping palm to hover from above the Infernal Cup for a few moments before he proceeded to pour his blood over the center of the pentagram. Startled gasps began to fill the area as everyone watched a figure emerge from the flames that had come as soon as Jonathan spoke his final words.

Lilith accepted the cup from her son with one hand while she brought the wrist of her free hand towards her mouth, using her teeth to tear at her skin before she filled the cup with her blood before she held it out towards her son with a cunning smirk. "Give my blood to your army to begin their transformation, and as they grow stronger, so shall you and I. And soon we shall rule the world together." She rejoiced as she went on to place her hand against his cheek.

Jonathan leaned into her touch, placing his hand above hers with a smirk of his own upon his lips. "Don't forget that, my beloved sister will be just as strong as us. All too soon the three of us will be nearly unstoppable as we finally bring my dream to life."

Lilith fought back the urge to grimace when her son brought up Clary, and instead nodded her head in agreement as she pulled her hand away from his face. "Of course, my child. Today will mark the first day of your reign. Do not let anything get in your way. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Mother." He replied in a neutral manner before he watched her step back into the center of the pentagram and disappear from out of thin air.

He didn't waste a moment after her exit before he turned to face the crowd, raising the Infernal Cup into the air. "Now it is time for you all to come forward to drink from the Infernal Cup, and embrace the new beginning of your lives. Are you all with me?"

A chorus of cheers erupted throughout the entire area as one by one, people came forward and drank from the Infernal Cup. Jonathan watched as the effects of Lilith's offering went into play immediately, and as soon as the very last person had taken a drink from the cup, he turned around to face Clary, and extended his hand out towards her. "Come forward and take your rightful place at my side, my beloved one."

Clary strode forward with her head held up high, keeping her gaze solely on Jonathan as she went on to place her hand in his. A mirthful grin settled upon her lips when she felt him place a chaste-like kiss upon the back of her hand before he let go of her hand and went on to wrap his arm around her shoulder, pulling her against him as he looked out towards the crowd of people that were bowed in front of them. "Rise up, and pay your respects to your Queen!"

Clary felt an unfamiliar surge of emotion flow through her as everyone cheered for her as her verdant hues skimmed along the many faces, noticing the same look of devotion that was mirrored on each one of their faces, but soon her attention was upon Jonathan when she felt his lips move to hover by her ear, making her shiver involuntarily as she felt the warmth of his breath caress her skin.

"This is only a little taste of what's to come now that you are ruling by my side. And I promise it will only get even better after today." He murmured in a husky tone before he directed his attention back towards his loyal subjects, knowing it was time to enact the next step of his plan.

~~

Jace was in the process of making sure that he had packed his bag properly when all of the sudden his head snapped up in response to hearing a knock at his door. He cursed under his breath as he went on to close his bag before he quickly slid it under the bed just in time before the door was thrown open. He rose back up to his feet, turning around to face none other than the one that had been such a pain in the ass recently. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh as he went on to speaking in a slightly annoyed manner. "You do know that you're supposed to wait for an answer before you barge into a room right? What if I had been naked?"

Isabelle wrinkled her nose in disgust as she tried her best not to get a visual of what her brother had so kindly placed into her mind, which also made her shiver involuntarily before she managed to focus on the real reason she had barged into his room for. She shrugged her shoulder as if she was unfazed by his words before she went on to brush past him in order to take a seat on his bed, waiting for him to turn around to meet her gaze. "It was a risk I was willing to take since you have everyone so worried about you. That should also tell you that I care about you so much since I was willing to put my vision at risk just to check on my brother." The corner of her mouth lifted up slightly into an amused simper as she watched a rather comical expression flash across Jace's features for a brief moment before he veiled his emotions entirely as he had been doing for the past few weeks.

Jace released a low sigh as he went on to lean back against the wall, trying his best no to react to her last statement, because he even knew that his behavior recently was slightly out of the ordinary, but he had been so sure that he had been keeping his emotions under wraps but now it was so clear that he was wrong. "I can assure you that I am fine. Now can you please get off of my bed and leave?"

Isabelle had been studying his features and stance so closely that it wasn't hard for her to realize that he was slightly tense. That mere revelation made her quirk her brow in a quizzical manner as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Why do you want me to leave so badly?"

Jace pinched the bridge of his nose as he released a groan, feeling a headache about to make its appearance soon. "I am not in the mood for one of your games, Izzy. Get out now."

That had been the final straw for Isabelle, making her get up onto her feet in a flash before she strode over to Jace, proceeding to prod his chest with her index finger as she glared daggers at him. "Don't even catch an attitude with me right now. Especially when I came here with the sole purpose of easing your mind with some new information about the person you've been pining over for weeks. But if that's not an interest to you then I guess I will just leave." She didn't give him a chance to answer her, and instead she purposely turned around and took a few step towards the door, knowing that he would take the bait.

Jace had gone completely still when he caught on to who she was speaking about, and before he realized what he was doing, he had already reached out to grasp Isabelle's arm. "What did you hear about Clary?"

Isabelle tried her best not to appear to be so smug when she now had his full attention, and instead she turned around to look at him. "If you'd so kindly let go of my arm, I will happily go on to bring in our guest that is waiting right outside your door, so you can hear this information from the main source. Is that alright with you?"

Jace removed his hold on her arm, feeling slightly ashamed that he allowed his feelings to get the best of him, which is why he shut his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before he gave her a subtle nod in answer to her question, because he didn't trust himself to speak aloud right now.

Isabelle gave him a moment to center himself once again before she opened the door and beckoned someone inside the room and went on to stand beside the young girl. "Jace, this is Emma Carstairs."

Jace was momentarily confused when he had witnessed the young girl walking into his room, until he realized that she was one of the few that had been instructed to tell their story about one of the many recent attacks that had been done to several different Institutes. It also didn't go unnoticed by him that Emma seemed to appear mildly uncomfortable, which made him try and relax as well as go on to place what he hoped to be a friendly smile upon his lips. "Hello, Emma. It's very nice to finally meet you properly. I'm—"

"You're, Jace Herondale." Emma blurted out before she felt her cheeks burn ever so slightly in response to feeling embarrassed by her outburst, but she couldn't help it when she was currently so starstruck since she was in the presence of one of the best Shadowhunters she had heard so much about throughout her own training.

Jace had to try his best to not react to his real name being said aloud for the very first time, and instead he focused on Isabelle when she signaled for him to focus back on the matter at hand, which made him act on instinct as he went on to close the gap between them and crouched down in front of Emma. "My sister has informed me that you have something to tell me about Clary Morgenstern. Is that correct?"

Emma felt herself relax a bit when she felt Isabelle give her shoulder a light squeeze to give her the subtle push she needed to go on to say what she needed to. She drew in a deep breath before she averted her gaze over in Jace's direction, feeling herself relax furthermore when she noticed that he was smiling at her in a kind manner. "The other day during the emergency meeting, I didn't entirely relay everything that happened. And what I didn't mention was that when Clary was given the order to kill me, it seemed as though she was fighting with her own self about going through with the order. Just as she was readying herself to do what she needed to, she managed to stop in time and she let me go through the portal instead." Emma gave Jace a moment to process what she had just said before she was going to give the last piece of information that she had about that incident that occurred.

Jace inhaled sharply as he tried to wrap his head around what was just said, because he couldn't believe that this subtle knowledge was going to be enough to help give him the strength to go through with what he was planning to do. "Is there anything else that I should know that happened after that, Emma?" He inquired with a slight tinge of urgency in his tone.

Emma gave him a subtle nod in answer as she bit down on her lip in a nervous manner before she forced herself to replay the events that happened back in her mind one last time to make sure she had all the details before she relayed what happened. "I was so shocked that she had let me go that I couldn't make myself move, and go through the portal like everyone else did. But I'm actually thankful that I didn't or else I wouldn't have witnessed that she killed two of her own people that saw her let me go, and afterwards she went back to the one that I think was the leader and when he asked about what happened to me, she told him that I managed to escape through the portal. He didn't even think to question her over the two men that she had killed. He acted as if they were just nothing. He didn't even care to think that they had a family before he forced them to join his army." Emma looked down at her feet in a hasty manner when she was on the verge of tears, but those tears were from the rage that was now coursing through her as she pictured the one person who split the one family she had left apart.

Jace couldn't believe that Clary had actually allowed Emma to leave. Here he had thought that his one true love was gone forever, but now that spark of hope that he once had was back. It took him a moment to realize that Emma was upset, but when he did notice, he gently lifted her chin up in order to meet her gaze. "I promise that I will punish the one that is responsible for all of this. And I also want you to know that I am forever grateful to you for telling me this. If you ever need someone to talk to or even want help with training, I'd be more than happy to help. Okay?"

Emma sniffed softly as the corner of her mouth lifted up into a hint of smile in response to hearing his offer. "I will definitely take you up on that offer. Thank you."

"No, thank you, Emma. You just made my day." He smiled at her before he gently took hold of her hand and placed a kiss against the back of it.

Isabelle had been trying her hardest not to break out into tears, but the way that Jace was being towards Emma was just too much that she had to tear her gaze away for a moment to collect herself. It had felt like so long that she had seen Jace like this, and after she was sure that she could speak without her voice wavering, she peered down at Emma as she gave her shoulder a gentle nudge. "As much as I'd love for you to stay, I think your friend is probably getting worried about you."

It took Emma a moment to catch onto what Isabelle was saying, but when she realized whom she was referring to, her eyes widened in alarm ever so slightly. "By the angel!" She was already almost halfway out of the door before she realized she was being rude, making her pause in the doorway in order to look over at the Lightwood siblings. "It was very lovely meeting you both. Bye!" She waved at them before she turned on her heel and made her way towards where she left her best friend.

Jace rose up to his feet, and reluctantly looked over at Isabelle, and it was then he noticed that she wasn't looking as smug as she had been a few moments ago. Instead she looked like she was going to be on the verge of tears, which made him frown. "What's wrong, Izzy?"

Isabelle wiped her face in a hasty manner before she forced herself to look over at Jace. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

Jace shook his head as he released a sigh before he went on to pull her into a gentle embrace, rubbing her back to help calm her down. "No, you're not fine. Now tell your favorite brother what is wrong."

Against all odds, Isabelle found herself laughing as she returned his hug. "Don't you dare tell Alec that you know that you're my favorite brother." She noted with a teasing lilt to her words, and was rewarded with the vibration that came with Jace's silent laughter as she rested her face against his chest.

"Well, I can't make any promises, because now I'm curious to see what Alec's reaction will be when I tell him." Jace replied in a joking manner.

"My reaction to what?" Alec inquired from the doorway with furrowed brows as he witnessed his siblings having a little moment without him, which should have bothered him slightly, but today it didn't. It actually soothed him to see the old Jace back for even a brief moment.

Isabelle turned her head in Alec's direction as she shrugged in a nonchalant manner. "Oh, just the fact that Jace was planning to leave without telling anyone."

"What!?" Alec retorted in disbelief as he looked back and forth between his siblings, trying to figure out just exactly what was going on.

Jace went completely still upon hearing her words. "How in the hell did you know that I was planning to leave?"

Isabelle snorted as she pulled away from Jace, giving him a knowing look before she turned on her heel and started to saunter her way out of the room. "Don't you both know by now that I always know everything. And now that, that is settled with, let's be on our merry way before we are late."

"Late for what?" Alec and Jace inquired in unision.

"I took it upon myself to organize a meeting at Magnus's place. He's providing us with the transportation of course. Now hurry up ladies! Or else you guys are going to be the ones to explain to Magnus on why we were late. And I bet that won't be a pretty conversation to have." Isabelle had to choke back a laugh when she heard both of her brothers all but break out into a jog from just behind her, but what made it even more amusing to her was when she couldn't help but hear them both whispering back and forth about how she always knew of the things that they always failed to keep a secret from her.

It was this normal sibling moment between them all that was keeping her from breaking down once again. It killed her to see Jace so upset for so long that she finally had enough and she had decided it was time for her to take matters into her own hands. Because she couldn't bare the thought of losing Clary. Especially when she had once thought of her as family. And if she had to be completely honest with herself, she was even surprised that it had taken her this long to finally take charge and show everyone that she wasn't just concerned with her looks or loved to just defy her parents authority whenever she wanted to. She was just as strong as any other Shadowhunter, and right now in this moment she was prepared to go through with something that not even the adults dared to even think about doing. It was time for a change, and she would gladly take whatever consequences that would surely come with this act of treason if it meant that she could save Clary, and put a stop to all of this madness before it was too late. She was fighting for her family and friends, just as she knew that Jonathan thought he was doing for his sister, but the only difference was for the fact that she knew at the end of the day, good always triumphs over evil.

~~

"What have you summoned me for?" Jonathan inquired as he continued to make his way fully into the room, his gaze landing almost immediately onto Lilith, watching as she turned around to face him.

Lilith resisted the urge to react to his attitude, and instead forced herself to speak in a cordial manner. "My son, I have asked you to meet me for the sole purpose of discussing a matter that has come to my attention recently."

Jonathan arched a brow in a quizzical manner as he now stood right in front of her. "And what matter would that be? It must be something important since you called to me, whilst I was in the middle of something."

"Yes, the matter is quite serious. Or else I would not have bothered to call upon you at such an hour. It has come to my attention that your sister allowed someone to escape during the last attack. Is that correct?" Lilith studied his face so closely, wanting to see his reaction to her words, but it proved to be useless, because she had trained him so well that she couldn't tell what he was thinking in this moment, which irked her.

Jonathan went completely still as soon as he heard his sister's name, causing him to immediately go into protective mode, and what made matters worse was the fact that he was so sure that Lilith would never find out about this situation. He hadn't been pleased when he found out that Clary disobeyed his direct order from various witnesses, but in the end he chose to continue to protect her. And the first step of going through with that promise was to make sure there were no witnesses, but now it was clear that he hadn't been as thorough as he had thought. "Whoever disclosed that information misunderstood what happened. Clary followed every order that was given to her, and when the time came to go after that little brat who dared to harm me, she did just that even though she was harmed in the process as well. But none of us expected for the Clave to create a portal so soon that allowed that brat and her comrades to escape. Are you satisfied now with knowing the full truth from your own son? Or do you still wish to find another reason to question Clary's loyalty as you've been so kind to do since the very beginning?" He was fuming by the time he finished speaking as his hands were clenched so tightly at his sides as he thought of the many ways that he would torture the person who had gone behind his back in order to disclose this information to Lilith.

Lilith bristled as soon as she felt the intensity of her son's anger hit her out of nowhere, and in that moment she was able to sense that both his powers and strength were still gradually increasing with every new member of his army. That mere revelation was almost enough to make her smirk, but the only reason she did not, was the fact that she was not able to feel the full effect of his strength, because there was one particular person that was in her way. And that was Clary. She had been nothing but a nuisance during this time that should have been glorious, and today had been the final straw for Lilith. She knew that she needed to get her out of the way, but that meant that she needed to show her son that Clary couldn't be trusted. And now in this moment, Lilith realized that was going to difficult to do, but she was not going to give up just yet. Especially now that her ultimate goal was within her reach. That mere thought was enough for her to look forward to as she pulled herself out of her thoughts before she reached out in a tentative manner to place her hand against Jonathan's shoulder, willing him to meet her gaze. "There's no need to get worked up, my son. If you say that I shouldn't doubt your sister's true intentions then I will not. I am only looking out for your future. And I would hate it if you allowed yourself to become distracted when your dream is just within your grasp."

Jonathan drew in a deep breath to help calm himself before he moved out from under her grasp as he forced himself to hold her gaze. "I would apologize for how I just behaved, but I don't regret it. You of all people should know that when it comes to Clary, I will always protect her no matter what. And the next person that even speaks ill of her once again will have to suffer through the consequences that come with that action. Even if that person is you. Do I make myself clear?"

Lilith gritted her teeth as she felt herself growing tired of this same argument that they seemed to have on a regular basis, which made her finally snap. "Can't you see that she has changed you! You would have never dared to threaten your own mother, but yet here you stand defending her as always. No matter how many times I have proved to you that she isn't fit to rule beside you! You need to accept that, and let her go. It's the only way that you will be able to succeed!"

Jonathan's eyes narrowed into slits as his fingers itched to wrap themselves around the nearest weapon, but the only reason he had not acted upon his instincts was for the fact that Lilith was the only one besides Clary that he viewed as family. "If it were true that she allowed the girl to escape, what would you have me do? She is my sister, and I will always protect her no matter what. You know that to be true by now."

Lilith released a sigh as she stepped forward and placed her hand against his cheek, willing him to meet her steady gaze. "Your devotion to your family is one of the things I admire about you, but it is also a great weakness of yours. And now that we are so close to taking this world as our own, I cannot allow you to put it all at risk for one puny girl. I have given you many chances to make sure she holds up her end, but every time you seem to fail. So now I will give you only one last chance to make this all right. You will either have your sister drink from the Infernal Cup to ensure that her freewill is entirely gone for good or you will end her. I will grant you a few days to make your final decision, but if you do not give me your final answer by then, I will be forced to make the decision for you."

Jonathan didn't have a chance to react to her ultimatum, because she vanished out of sight within the very next moment.

~~

Jonathan was in the process of pacing around his room, trying to keep himself from destroying anything in his path, because he knew that if he harmed himself during the process that he would inflict that pain onto Clary. As he thought of her, his eyes slid shut as he concentrated on sensing her through their subtle bond, and within a moment he was able to tell that she appeared to be in a very deep slumber. That knowledge alone only proved even more that he couldn't stupidly throw a fit, and risk the chance of awakening her. But it was so difficult for him to calm down. Especially after his confrontation with Lilith.

He didn't know how to feel after he realized that the one person that he had viewed as his parent had actually manipulated him after all these years. It wasn't until his very last moments with Lilith that he sensed her thirst for power. And the only person that was standing in her way as she slowly made her way back to her former superior self wasn't just Clary. It was also himself as well.

He didn't know how he could have been so blind all of these years. Lilith had been using him for her own selfish needs. She had come to him when he was weak and craved to be loved as any other child wants. And throughout his childhood, she fed his hatred towards Valentine until he finally had the opportunity to rid himself of him altogether.

And it was after that unmerciful act that Lilith had convinced him to help bring her back in order to have her walk the Earth once again. He had thought nothing of it up until now. It was clear as day that had been used, but he'd be damned if he would allow her to succeed. And there was only one thing he knew he had to do, but he didn't know if he had the strength to do it.

But he did know just where he could find the strength he so desperately needed, and that mere thought was what led him to Clary's room. As soon as the door slid shut behind him, he crossed the room and carefully climbed into bed beside her. And as if on cue, Clary made a soft noise before she shifted on the bed and instinctively curled up against him. That subtle act caused his chest to ache as he went on to wrap an arm around her, drawing her closer to him before he leaned down to place a kiss against the top of her head.

"You are the only one person left in this entire world that understands me. And it is now that I need your help so desperately, because I know what I have to do, but I don't think I have the strength to go through with it." He murmured in a rough tone, and for the very first time in his life, he allowed himself to give into his sorrows.

 _ **A/N: I am very sorry for the long wait. I've been very preoccupied with school lately, but now my schedule is better and I have time to finally finish this story. I believe that there will be only two more chapters. The final one will be an epilogue, and I hope that you all will enjoy how this story finally ends.**_


	21. It's a cruel world

"I hope you're right about being able to trust your special informant, Isabelle. Or else it's going to be quite difficult to explain to the Queen as to why we are currently trespassing on her territory." Jace retorted in neutral manner as he tried his hardest not to laugh in response to seeing Isabelle look away from him with such haste, which amused him to find out that she was able to be so openly coy in this moment even under these current circumstances.

Isabelle felt her cheeks flush a shade of crimson when Jace so kindly referred to Meliorn as her special friend, but she was thankful that her hair had been veiling her face, which gave her a moment to compose herself. "I'm going to pretend that you didn't just say that. Now if you would kindly stop talking entirely then I will gladly lead us to where we need to be before you alert every single person here of our presence." She retorted in a haughty manner before she motioned for him to follow her.

Jace snorted in response to Isabelle brushing off the mention of her former flame and instead got back into her bossy ways in attempt to get the attention of off her love life. He of course just found it more amusing, hence why he still teased her every now and then. But soon humor was the last thing on his mind, because it wasn't until they reached the main corridor that Jace grasped Isabelle's arm in time to pull her to an abrupt stop before quickly bringing them to hide behind a wall in response to hearing voices coming from where they had been planning to walk through.

Isabelle yanked her arm out of Jace's hold, flashing him a look of pure annoyance, because she didn't need him to baby her constantly just like Alec always did, and that thought caused her to want to prove that she could do everything they did on a daily, which gave her the little push she needed. She dared to get a better look at who they had just come across by carefully peeking past the wall, but nothing would have prepared her for what she was about to witness.

~~

Clary had been in the process of trying to convince Meliorn to keep her company while she waited for her brother to handle some business upstairs with the Seelie Queen. The mere mention of the Queen and her brother together in the same room nearly made her sick to her stomach, but that was exactly why she had been seeking some sort of distraction, but as she was starting to get her way, she suddenly felt a familiar presence out of nowhere. Clary averted her gaze from Meliorn entirely and instead directed it at one spot before the corner of her mouth tugged up into an impish-like grin. "You might as well come out, Jace."

Meliorn went completely rigid in response to not sensing their current company, causing him to grasp the hilt of his weapon as he moved to place himself in front of Clary. "Perhaps it is now time for you to get to safety while I handle these trespassers, my lady."

Clary shook her head, grinning furthermore before she moved out from behind Meliorn, allowing her fingers to brush against his hand that had been gripping his weapon as she settled her gaze upon Jace and his current company. "There's no need for that kind of behavior around our guests, Meliorn. Now, why don't you be a good boy for me, and notify my brother that it is time for him to finish the job that he came here to do, and I will handle our guests."

"As you wish, my lady." Meliorn retorted in a neutral manner even though he did not approve of this, but deep down he knew better than to disobey Clary's commands. He stopped to bow in front of her before he rose back up, and purposely went on to lock gazes with Jace as a sudden idea popped into his mind, which caused him to flash a wicked smirk before he tucked a loose strand of her behind her ear and leaned forward to press a gentle kiss against her cheek. He knew it was a risky move because he could never know just how she would react, but in the end she didn't fret over his actions. Though he could've sworn that he caught sight of mild amusement displaying upon her features as he turned to leave.

To say that Isabelle and Jace were taken aback by what they had just witnessed was a complete understatement, but in Isabelle's case, she was shocked the most to come to find out that the one person she thought she could trust at Seelie Court was working with the ones that she came here to stop in the first place. That mere revelation caused a spark of anger to ignite from within her, which gave her the slightest nudge she needed in this moment to finally speak up when it appeared that no one else was going to. "What the actual fuck, Clary! Are you and your brother actually working with Fair Folk now?"

Clary was immediately aware of some of the Endarkened ones entering from both sides of the room as she began to close the distance between herself and Isabelle, whilst she couldn't help but notice that Jace's gaze had never lifted from her since the very moment he entered the room. "It's lovely to see you too, Izzy."

Isabelle narrowed her eyes as she anxiously awaited to see if Clary would try and attack them. "You have no right to call me that. You lost that right when you not only betrayed my family, but our fellow Nephilim as well."

Clary was all but feeding off of Isabelle's hostility, using it to further fuel the familiar thrum that always came with the telltale signs of combat as she came to a complete stop just a few feet away from Isabelle before she discreetly signaled for her army to await her command. "Ouch. Is that how it's going to be between us now? I expected you out of everyone to understand just what a devoted sister would do when it comes to protecting their siblings. Or am I mistaken?"

"Even I have my limits, Clary. What you and your brother are doing is wrong. I don't know how you don't see that. Do you just not care that you have split up families from their loved ones for good, or the innocent lives that you had a part in taking?"

Clary released a sigh as her verdant hues rolled skywards, whilst she now grasped her fingers around the hilt of the dagger that she had so discreetly retrieved. "I am really getting tired of hearing the same shit every time I meet up with you and your family members. I think it's time to show you if I really value the lives of Nephilim." Without skipping a beat, Clary sent the dagger whirling towards Isabelle, holding her breath as she waited for her weapon to hit its mark, but at the very last second, she witnessed Jace pushing Isabelle out of the way, which caused the dagger to graze his arm instead. Clary gritted her teeth in anger before she finally gave the signal that would send the Endarkened to work.

"You, bitch!" Isabelle exclaimed with such vehemence before she uncoiled her whip, sending it lashing out towards Clary.

Clary managed to grasp a part of the whip as it coiled around her arm, gritting her teeth as she ignored the pain when she felt it had slashed the palm of her hand in the process, and instead she began to further wind it around her wrist and arm. "That wasn't very kind of you, Isabelle. I'll make you pay for even having the audacity to lay a hand upon me." She hissed under her breath before she called upon her newly acquired strength, and yanked on the whip with all her might, which managed to nearly send Isabelle flying across the room before landing onto the ground with such force.

"Isabelle!" Jace exclaimed as he disposed of his current opponent before he began to strike down every other Endarkened that stood in his way to get to his sister.

Clary threw the whip down beside a rather wounded-looking Isabelle as she went on to ignore the fact that she was bleeding almost heavily in response to the deep cuts she had just received, using the pain to further fuel the rage that had been gradually taking over her. A pure look of disdain flashed across her features as she witnessed, Isabelle struggling to get back on her feet, and without skipping a beat, Clary went on to kick her in the abdomen with all her might, basking in the sounds of her cries of agony that came in the next moment, which caused a sly smirk to tug at the corner of her mouth. "Please, don't tell me that this is the best that I can expect from the infamous Isabelle Lightwood. I had expected much more from you."

Isabelle pushed herself up from the ground, choking back the coughing fit that threatened to overcome her in a relentless manner as she finally got back up on her feet, whilst trying to ignore the fact that she still felt a little bit unsteady as she did so. She didn't want to give Clary the satisfaction of knowing that she had bested her, so instead she managed to let out a half-hearted laugh as her gaze traveled along Clary's entire form, judging her stance to pinpoint what her next move would be before she even made it. "Why don't you shut your trap for once, and come find out just what I can do." She all but replied in a snarl-like manner.

Clary didn't waste any time after that tempting invitation as she darted forward with such speed and determination, but what she didn't expect was for Isabelle to block her first hit so easily and land a perfectly timed punch. Clary stopped dead in her tracks, watching as Isabelle immediately took up another fighting stance, which caused her to smirk in amusement as her tongue darted out to lap up some of the blood that was now coating her skin in response Isabelle's lucky shot. "Kuddos to you for that rather lucky hit. But I wouldn't let myself too smug if I were you, because that will be the very last time you ever lay a hand on me." Clary noted with a slight venomous lilt to her final words before she let out a battle cry and leapt at Isabelle. The throbbing pain coming from her only fed her need for violence, which allowed her to finally give it her absolute all as she blocked every one of Isabelle's next blows, whilst trying to find an opportunity to land a hit of her own. And as if luck were on her side, in the next passing moment, her opportunity presented itself, and within no time Clary landed a harsh hit that sent Isabelle staggering back enough for Clary to follow through with a hard kick to her right side that caused Isabelle to let out a loud cry of agony before her legs gave out on her and sent her crashing to the floor. Clary was lost to the rage that had all but consumed her in this moment as she went on to straddle a slightly delirious Isabelle, keeping her in place as she brought her fist down with such force, ignoring the stinging sensation that spread out throughout her hand as she punched Isabelle dead in the face again. And just as she retrieved another weapon to finish the job, her head shot up in response to her hearing her name echo throughout the room.

Jace had just finished dispatching of his very last enemy, and all who were left standing was both himself and Clary. And though he cared for her so dearly, he couldn't ignore the fact that Isabelle was his top priority and at that very moment, he could see that she was out cold, which caused him to jump into action by distracting Clary enough until Isabelle could wake on her own. "That's enough, Clary. Step away from my sister."

The corner of Clary's mouth lifted into a faintly amused smile as she twirled her sword with a subtle motion of her wrist, whilst stepping over the bodies of her army to get a little bit closer to her next opponent. "I'm actually quite impressed that you were able to hold your own against my Endarkened army. But I don't think Jonathan will be pleased with what you have just done. I feel that it is now my duty to follow through with the consequences of your actions. I promise that I will make it quick. Because we both know that if it was up to Jonathan to be the one to punish you that it would be anything but quick and painless. Consider it my very last good deed."

Jace didn't have any time to even begin to contemplate over the idea of fighting Clary, because she had jumped straight into action, moving in a blur. At the very last second, Jace had been able to block her attack with his own blade, grunting with the effort that it took be able to hold his own, and it was then in that moment that he was truly able to witness first hand that Clary's abilities and strength had somehow doubled in size. But he would be damned if he let her do something that she would end up regretting. "Dammit, Clary! It's not too late to stop this! Do you honestly think that you wouldn't feel anything if you went on and killed Isabelle just a moment ago? Because there was a time that you thought of her as family. Don't even dare deny that, because I know you better than anyone else."

Clary let out a cry of frustration, feeling her anger spike after hearing his words, whilst secretly hating the fact that he was still able to get into her head. She mustered up as much of her strength to push him back enough to allow her to land a perfectly timed kick to his abdomen, which all but threw him backwards, distancing them enough for Clary to try to think over her next move more carefully. "Don't you dare say that you know me better than anyone. There is only one person in this entire world that knows me. That is Jonathan. Nobody else."

Against all odds, Jace let out a laugh as he straightened back up. "That's where you're wrong, Clary. I was there with you on some your worst days when no one else was. I was the one that you came to with problems that you couldn't even fathom talking to Jonathan about. And I was the only one there to hold you at night when you were having your nightmares, and crying out for your mother, making sure that you always knew that you were safe and loved even when I knew that you wouldn't remember when you woke up the very next morning. And I love you too much to let you throw your entire life away for your brother's stupid fantasy. But if that isn't enough to convince you to stop all this madness and you want to hurt someone then by all means, hurt me. Let Isabelle go, and kill me instead." His voice nearly cracked near the end, but he didn't waste another moment after he had finally made up his mind. He was willing to sacrifice his life if it meant that maybe his death would be enough to finally get through to her. He tossed his seraph blade over in her direction, watching as it finally skidded to a halt at her feet before he took in a deep breath and walked over towards her until he was so close that the edge of her blade was gently prodding his chest.

For just a moment, Clary's vison was momentarily obscured by tears before she shook her head and blinked those traitorous tears away. She hated that she had allowed him to get to her even more than he already had, but the fact that he was willing to sacrifice his own life for not only Isabelle, but the entire Nephilim race, made her so angry. "Are you really that stupid that you would give up your own life for someone that you aren't even related to by blood, or for those disgrace of men and women that claim to be Nephilim? Because if that is true then I seriously need to question my taste in men. I saw so much potential in you. And I still do. Now stop stalling. Pick up your weapon and fight me in the same way you so graciously killed some of my comrades."

Jace shook his head as he gritted his teeth as he went on to press chest further against the blade until he felt just a subtle pricking sensation against his flesh. "No. I won't fight you. What happens next is up to you."

Clary clenched her teeth as she attempted to keep the churning emotions running through her at bay, whilst adjusting her grip on the hilt of the weapon as she pressed the edge of the blade harder against his chest until she finally saw a shade of crimson begin to form around the area. "I said, fight back!"

Jace's chest constricted ever so slightly as he saw a look of indecision flash across her features for the briefest moment, causing him to momentarily ignore the stinging sensation that was beginning to spread across his chest. It was that slightest bit of hope that caused him to grasp onto it so greedily, because he so desperately wanted her back. "You can't hurt me, can you?" It wasn't until he finished speaking that he was able to hear rustling coming from behind Clary. Without tipping her off, his gaze darted briefly behind her, taking notice that Isabelle was beginning to come around and get up onto her feet.

Clary was beyond frustrated with herself, because she knew that he was right. She didn't want to hurt him, but she also knew deep down that if she couldn't have him at all because of their difference of opinions, that she didn't want him to be with anyone else but her. And just as she finally made up her mind, embedding the point of the blade into his chest just slightly, savoring the short gasp of surprise that spilled from Jace's lips, she was completely taken off guard. One moment she had been finally going through with one of the most difficult things she would ever have to go through, and in the next moment everything went completely black.

~~

Clary was roused from her deep slumber by the sound of voices coming from just near where she was currently resting, causing her to keep her eyes closed as well as keep her breathing pattern the same as how it was before she had just awoken, so that way she would appear to still be asleep. This gave her the chance to determine how extreme her injuries were, and after she was sure that they were just minor ones, she allowed herself to focus on all of her senses one by one. At first, she couldn't get an accurate feel as to where she had been brought to, but after focusing a little harder, she nearly gave away the fact that she was awake by releasing a short gasp, when it became clear that she was brought to the one place that had become her true home. That mere revelation was almost enough for her to forget being cautious and go on to make her reckless exit, but the only thing that stopped her was for the fact that she just realized that not only were her wrists bound together, but also her ankles.

Her blood began to boil just by that mere revelation as a string of profanities immediately came to rest at the tip of her tongue, and just as she was about to finally speak her mind, she froze as she barely caught the last words that were spoken. She waited until Jace left the presumed quarters she was currently in before she finally opened her eyes, lifting her head up slowly as to not become dizzy when she felt the telltale signs of her head injury she had sustained, and was met with silhouette of the one who had harmed her.

Clary clenched teeth to stop herself from giving herself away as she tried to not make it obvious that she was trying to take in the darkly lit area they were in, trying to decipher just where she could possibly be since there weren't too many options, because they were in a different realm. And that realm was none other than Edom itself. Which had been her new home recently, and as that thought passed through her mind, Clary closed her eyes briefly as she took in a slow and steady breath as she attempted to allow herself to draw upon the energy from this realm. She was immediately rewarded with a soft caress of power that lapped at her skin, and just as she felt herself gradually becoming stronger, did she feel something else.

At first it was a soft brush against her mind, which felt so oddly familiar, but soon it changed abruptly and caused her to grit her teeth to not utter a sound of discomfort when the sensation had changed to something much more powerful than she had anticipated. It didn't take her long to figure out what just happened. Jonathan had been able to sense her now that she was awake and was calling to her and she knew better than to ignore his call, which is why she was going to do anything in her power to get free. Even if that meant harming herself in the process.

With one last look at Isabelle, making sure she wasn't looking her way, Clary began to try and work her wrists free of the rope. She ignored the protests of her skin being rubbed harshly because of the friction that she needed to accomplish the task until her skin felt so raw and appeared to be both red and partially bloody, did she give herself a little break. And just as she thought it couldn't get any worse, it was then near the end of her current task that Isabelle decided to turn around. Clary flashed her a half-amused smile before she spoke in a slightly annoyed manner. "Well, if it isn't the bitch that knocked me out..."

"Don't bother trying to get out of those. Jace, and I made sure to enforce your binds with a little help of something else." Isabelle noted dryly as she attempted to seem unfazed by Clary's haughty attitude as she moved closer to make sure that her wrists and feet were still bound together before she heaved a sigh and forced herself to take a seat across from her, resting her back against the cold and damp wall of the cave they were currently in.

A sudden spark of curiosity bloomed within Clary in response to what Isabelle had stated, which led to her giving her wrists a second glance and to her own astonishment, she was now aware of a particular rune that was etched into her skin. Her seemingly easy escape plan had now turned into something much more challenging, which was actual much more enticing to her if she had to be honest. After a quick glimpse at her current guard, she immediately knew how she was going to get out of this. She needed to get under Isabelle's skin and she knew exactly how, or rather who to use to do that. "That was a nice touch. I do like the whole bondage type of thing every now and then… And since we are on that topic, I think it's only fit to ask how my Simon is doing? Are you still stringing him along like some sort of pet?"

Isabelle clenched her fists in response to the mere mention of Simon, which nearly caused her to throw herself at Clary out of pure anger, but she knew better than to do that. She was not about to fall into Clary's trap. "Say one more word, and I swear I won't hesitate to gag you."

Clary could all but feel the anger radiating from Isabelle, which meant that her plan was working much better than she had anticipated. She went on to hold her bound hands out in front of her in a defenseless manner as she fought back the urge to smirk in response to what she was about to say next. "I apologize. I shouldn't have compared Simon to some slave. I just couldn't help but take notice that you've been just playing with the poor guy for so long now. He deserves better. Is it wrong to want my friend to be happy?"

"I said, shut up! My relationship with Simon is no concern of yours. That is the very last time I am going to warn you." Isabelle noted through clenched teeth as she crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to draw in deep and calming breaths to help relieve some of the pent-up anger that had been building up within her for only the gods themselves knew exactly for how long.

Clary rested her hands in her lap as she kept her gaze fixated upon Isabelle as the corner of her mouth lifted into a subtle smirk. "But you see, it is of my concern. I have known Simon almost my entire life, and even now I still want him to be happy. He's a very attentive and affectionate lover by the way. I would happen to know…"

Isabelle went completely still as she played back the final words that had come from Clary's mouth, and to say that she was not only shocked but hurt by that piece of information was an understatement. And before she knew what she was about to do, it was too late. Within a moment she had closed the gap between them, resting the blade of the sword she had taken from its resting place onto Clary's throat. "What did you just say?"

Clary wasn't the least bit intimidated by the fact that there was a blade being held against her throat. Instead she pressed herself against it until she felt the sharp blade slice at her porcelain skin, basking in the feel of the pain that came with it as a prurient smirk curved her lips. "You heard exactly what I said. But just because I am such a kind person, I will repeat myself once more, but more clearly. I fucked your precious Simon for all his worth, and he enjoyed every second of it. I even bet that in the very back of your mind, you always wondered how close we had gotten with one another, didn't you? Well now you know."

Tears pricked Isabelle's eyes upon hearing one of the worst possible things imaginable, and just as the thought of slitting Clary's throat to rid the world of one less vile person crossed her mind, the sound of Jace's voice was the only thing that stopped her from doing so. "Get out, Jace. This is between her and I." Isabelle retorted with such vehemence laced in her tone.

Jace edged closer with his hands raised up in a defenseless manner, allowing her to see that he was not a threat, whilst surveying the scene in front of him, trying to determine what exactly was going on. "Isabelle, please take a deep breath and step away from her."

Isabelle was beyond furious in this moment when Jace was still protecting Clary even after everything she had done.

Jace strode across the room as slowly as he could manage as he tried to think of what to do without harming his sister or Clary in the process. "Isabelle, it is not too late to stop this. Do not let her get into your head. Clary doesn't know what she's doing right now. You know that already."

"Oh, she knows exactly what she is doing, Jace. I can't believe that you are still trying to protect her. Clary is gone. Can't you see that!? And since you have always had too much of a soft spot for her it only seems right that I put this shit to an end right now." Isabelle all but snarled as she turned her attention back onto Clary before she drew back her weapon and readied herself to give the one single blow that would end the Morgenstern's plans for good.

"No!" Jace roared in complete despair, watching as the tip of the blade was about to strike its mark as he willed himself to run as fast as he could.

Clary didn't even try to defend herself, and instead she simply smiled up at Isabelle, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of seeming the least bit terrified as she was finally going to meet her maker. Her last thoughts were solely of her brother as she finally closed her eyes and welcomed both her newly founded fate and the short amount of pain that would come with it. But what she hadn't expected was for Jace to have pushed Isabelle at the very last moment, which caused her to only slash a very long gash along Clary's chest. At first the pain started out as a very faint sting before it began to gradually intensify, forcing a scream out of her before she fell onto her side, curling up into a ball as her body shook and felt as if it was completely aflame.

To say that Jace was beyond horrified of what he had to witness next was a complete understatement, and when he finally found the will to move, he darted forward and got down on his knees beside Clary. He proceeded to cut the rope that was used to keep her bound before he brought her onto his lap, brushing her hair from her face as he tried to keep her from hurting herself as she thrashed against him in complete agony. It wasn't until she stopped screaming and finally stopped resisting in his hold that he noticed something in her features that nearly had him in tears. His hand trembled as he went on to caress her face as she looked up at him. "Clary, is it really you?"

As Isabelle's adrenaline had gradually come down, it was then that she realized what her thoughtless actions could have done. Tears pooled in her eyes as she dared to come closer to where Jace was sat with Clary against his lap, and as if Clary had sensed her presence, her eyes met hers before the corner of her mouth lifted into a solemn smile, which caused Isabelle to stop dead in her tracks.

"Thank you, Izzy." Clary managed to choke out before she felt her eyes close on their own accord and she slipped back into the darkness once again.

~~

Clary woke with a start, bolting upright into a sitting position, which she would regret within the very next moment, because that movement caused her to feel an ache along her entire chest. It felt as if there was an invisible weight being held against her that was not unbearable, but rather uncomfortable. And the more alert she was becoming, she couldn't help but notice that her head was starting to pound, but before she could question why that was, she stiffened in response to noticing one major change that she hadn't notice upon awakening just a moment ago. She couldn't sense her brother at all.

But that wasn't the only thing that had changed. The feeling of pure devotion to her brother and their cause had suddenly not had her in their hold. It was as if she had awoken from a bad dream, where she had not been in control of her actions, and had been left to only watch in horror as she had done so many terrible things. Her breath caught in her throat as tears began to pool in her eyes as she recalled the recent events that had happened from the day Jonathan had been resurrected until her very last confrontation with Isabelle.

The memory of hurting Isabelle made her heart ache. She had been so cruel. Isabelle did not deserve to be spoken to in that way, nor find out about Clary's most private moments with Simon. The waves of emotion that now coursed through her entire core was so foreign to her now, that it almost became too emotionally draining, because she had not felt this much humanity in so long.

That sudden reverie, caused her to try and figure out just how she had broken out from under Jonathan's spell. She pinched the bridge of her nose, shutting her eyes as she ignored the ache coming from her temples as she forced herself to play back the little altercation she had just had with Isabelle. Her eyes sprung open as she inhaled sharply when she recalled when Isabelle had struck her with a sword, causing her to pull down on her shirt to examine the extent of her injury.

It was then that she noticed that someone had gone through the motions of cleaning and bandaging her wound, which forced her to have to gently pull back the bandage, biting down on her lip as to not whimper in response to the pain that came with that action. After the bandage had been pulled back enough, she noticed she had received a deep slash that had gone through the rune she shared with Jonathan. It appeared to be very inflamed and healing at a very slow rate, and just the mere sight of the oozing wound made her both dizzy and nauseous. She gently covered the wound once again, and after a moment the thought of who had gone about treating her injury passed through her mind. Where were Jace and Isabelle?

With a slight grimace she pushed back the makeshift blanket that had been placed onto her before she slowly rose up from the ground, keeping her hand against the wall to keep her stable as she attempted to walk as steadily as possible. But a sudden gasp caused her head to jerk upwards in time to catch sight of Jace. The mere sight of Jace made her stomach clench in response to the wave of uneasiness that overcame her so suddenly. She didn't know what kind of welcoming she would receive after what just happened, but she knew that she needed to hurry and get this over with, because there was something far more important that needed to be dealt with at once. With that in mind, Clary took in a calming breath before she forced herself to clear her throat as she tried to gain some courage, but in the next following moment, she felt herself become extremely light-headed, causing her to lean on the wall for more support then she had intended to do.

Jace had been so startled to see Clary not only awake but walking on her own that it took him a moment to fully comprehend that she was about to lose her balance, causing him to inhale sharply before he rushed to her side in time to catch her in his arms. "By the angel, Clary. You nearly gave me such a fright. You shouldn't be up right now. Especially in your current condition."

"Step away from her right now, Jace. For all we know, she could just be playing one of her little games, or Magnus was wrong about what the sword would do to the binding rune." She replied through gritted teeth as her fingers grasped the hilt of her weapon, waiting to see if it would be needed after all.

"You need to trust me, Izzy. I can tell that it's really her." He all but pleaded to his sibling as he attempted to block Clary from his sister's burning gaze, whilst keeping hold of her as best he could manage.

Clary didn't need to cast a look over in Isabelle's direction to know that she was armed, because she could just hear the vehemence in her tone as she spoke of her to Jace as if she weren't in the room. No that wasn't it. She made it seem as if she were a threat. It was that passing thought that caused her to suddenly go still. Was she still a threat to them? Her brows furrowed as she tried her best to try and take in how she was feeling in this moment, whilst ignoring the worried glance she was now receiving instead from Jace. She was in mild discomfort because of her injury, and was almost one-hundred percent sure that her connection to Jonathan was completely severed for some odd reason, but that was it.

She was so lost in her own inner turmoil that it took her a few moments to even notice that Jace had taken her face into his hands. Her eyelids slid shut for the briefest moment as she basked in both the warmth and feel of his gentle touch. She didn't know how much she had missed his presence until now. It was that mere thought that caused her to miss the tell-tale signs of her emotions getting the best of her because before she knew what was to happen, she was being pulled into an embrace, which allowed her to bury her face against his chest before she began to sob so unmercifully.

"Shh. It's alright, Clary. You are safe now." Jace murmured into her ear as he gently rubbed her back, giving her the time she so desperately needed in this moment. He couldn't even imagine just what she must be going through right now, but what he did know for sure was that he was never going to let her out of his sight ever again. He finally had his Clary back and he would be damned if anyone dared to take her back from him.

Clary had only allowed herself to enjoy the safety of his embrace for one more moment before she forced herself to push away from him entirely, surprising even herself when she managed to stay upright without any help at all. She had even gone on to wave away his attempt at aiding her once again, not wanting to seem like just a fragile girl that always needed the help of a man. Especially not when his sister was practically shooting daggers at her with just a simple glare. She cleared her throat as tried to ignore the protest of her wound in response to her movements. "It's alright, Jace. Your sister is right to be worried. I don't even know if I am truly myself again."

It wasn't until she received a quizzical glance from her current audience that she decided it was best to get them up to speed about her recent activities with her brother.

~~

Clary glanced up in time to see a rather troubled-looking Jace, which made her chest ache slightly, because she knew that she was part of the reason that he was so distressed in this moment. But instead of allowing herself to dwell on the past, she focused on the present, and the very first task she had to do was to get up off the floor and move forward with the plan she had just discussed with Jace and Isabelle. As she was just getting to her feet, she noticed that Jace was rushing towards her, causing her to wave him off, because she so did not to be depending on anyone to help her. "Do you think that Isabelle will be okay going on her own?"

Jace didn't push his luck by overcrowding Clary, as she had not so kindly chided him about not so long ago, and instead came to a complete halt a few steps away from her. His mind was still reeling on their rather elaborate plan that they were all about to follow through with, but he managed to push that to the back of his mind for a moment, and gave her a simple nod in answer to her question. "She wasn't too happy with her part of the plan, but she is tougher than she looks. She will pass on your warning, and make sure that everyone is prepared for Jonathan's sneak attack, while we take him on from here."

Clary felt her stomach clench, but it wasn't exactly because of what Jace reminded her of what they would be doing soon, it was the fact that she had not been completely honest with him when it came to the plan she told him. She needed to keep what she was really going to be doing to herself, because she couldn't risk Jace blowing her cover or putting himself in danger just to save her. And if she had to be completely honest with herself, she was almost petrified by the mere thought of what she was going to force herself to do. She knew deep down that this task needed to be done, but she also knew that there was a chance that she wouldn't make it back alive in the process. In that next moment, Clary didn't know if it was the mere thought of this being her only chance to do something selfish for herself, or if her feelings for Jace hadn't completely gone away, but soon she found herself grabbing at the fabric of his shirt, pulling him to her with all her might before she used her other hand to pull his face down upon hers in the same rough manner.

Jace had been too busy trying to decipher Clary's expression that he was taken completely off guard, allowing himself to be tugged forward, and just as he was about to inquire just what she was doing, he let out a low groan in response to her fingers tugging on his hair, and it was then that he finally caught onto what she wanted. He happily obliged by leaning down as his hands went to rest onto her hips, pulling her flush against him as his lips sought out for hers in as much of a frantic manner as she was behaving.

Clary fought back the urge to release a moan as soon as their lips met, which suddenly made her body become suddenly aflame as she pushed her worries to the back of her mind, and instead focused on just feeling and expressing how much she really needed Jace right now.

~~

"Do you trust me?" She inquired just low enough for him to hear as they made their way up the hill towards the estate the served as Jonathan's fortress, whilst attempting to ignore the wave of nausea that suddenly overcame her as she forced herself to remove her sword from its sheath as she allowed Jace to walk a few steps ahead of her until she could press the tip of the sword against his back just in time when they reached the gate and were greeted by some of the Endarkened.

"Of course, I do." He answered almost immediately, trying not to show just how on edge he was now in response to feeling so defenseless without being able to use his hands with the vast number of enemies now suddenly surrounding himself and Clary.

The leader of the group shuffled past his comrades until he was close enough to notice just who was in his presence. He immediately averted his gaze, knowing well enough by now then to stare at his master's beloved, and instead he bowed before her. "My Queen, I—"

An exasperated noise escaped from Clary's lips as she narrowed her eyes at the one who had spoken to her. "Enough with the pleasantries. Summon our King at once and enlighten him of the gift I have brought for him. The traitor that held his Queen captive. Now take him to a cell until further notice." She didn't allow herself to give Jace another glance, knowing that her composure would fail as soon as her eyes laid upon him, so instead she entered the very place she had dreaded to ever step foot into ever again.

~~

Not much time had since passed as Clary had made her way along this fortress that served as her home as of late. And in that time, she had managed to make her way to her intended destination to begin the preparation of her plan, but soon her time was cut way too short before she was soon bolting up onto her feet upon hearing commotion coming from behind the door of the massive room. She quickly went on about folding back the rug into its rightful position before making sure she composed her features. She knew who would be entering the room, but that didn't help calm her nerves, nor did the fact that she had to suck in a breath when she felt a familiar tug to the one she had once been bound to. It was finally time to bring this all to end. All that needed to happen to put her final plan into motion was for Jonathan to step across the perfectly etched runes that she had hastily drawn along the floor. She just didn't know how she would deal with the aftermath, because tonight she was going to betray not only one but two of the men that she cared so deeply about. No pressure, right?

It wasn't until the very last moment that she second guessed if it would be normal if she were to be standing in the center of the room to wait to greet him. She was left thinking over what she had done in the past when they had been linked as one, which is why she ended up walking up the many steps that led to two thrones upon a dais. She took a seat just time, because in the next moment the door to the room was thrown open with such force as a frantic looking Jonathan peered around the room until his gaze met hers from afar. Clary immediately went still upon meeting his intent gaze that it took her a moment to fully come to, but when she did she rose up from her seat and began to descend from the steps until she was just within his reach. She should have expected his very next move, but that didn't stop her from letting out a startled gasp.

Jonathan tightened his grip around Clary, leaning down to bury his face against the crook of her neck, taking in her familiar scent that immediately calmed the rage that had been ignited within him ever since she had been taken from him. It didn't take long for him to finally feel content enough to break their little reunion to get down to getting some answers, but first he needed to deal with the bastard that took Clary from him in the very first place. He pulled away from her, keeping his fingers of one hand upon her arm as he turned around and gave an order to one of his men in another language that he knew she would not be familiar with before he returned his gaze upon hers. "Tell me exactly what happened to you, my dearest sister."

It took a moment for Clary to focus on what Jonathan had just inquired when she was so on edge when she couldn't happen but notice the subtle wave of power that came with the act of Jonathan activating the barrier she had just gone about setting up. When it became apparent that Jonathan showed no signs of what had happened, she tilted her face up to meet his gaze, knowing that she had to play this next moment out exactly how it would have been done before the mark that bound them was broken, but if she were honest with herself, she didn't really have to act. She loved her brother dearly, no matter what. That is why this would be harder for her in the end. The corner of her mouth lifted into a subtle smile as she raised her arm up to be able to rest her fingers upon his cheek. "I believe what you should really be inquiring about, is what I actually allowed to happen, my dear brother."

Jonathan blinked in confusion upon hearing her rather vague reply, and just as he was feeling the slightest bit of annoyance because it appeared that she didn't want to enlighten him on what she had been up to since the last time they saw one another, he couldn't help but recall one little fact. It was that thought alone that caused his lips to quirk up into a devilish grin. "Ah, I understand now. You are quite vexatious at times, aren't you? Especially when you keep your plans to yourself."

Clary didn't have the time to give a proper response when she peered around Jonathan in time to see someone being dragged into the room. It took all her willpower to not push past Jonathan when she noticed it wasn't just anyone. It was Jace. And he was not in the same state as he had been when they last had seen one another." But her current worries over his wellbeing would have to wait, because not a mere moment had passed when Jace jumped into action.

Within no time Jace had broken free from his bindings and had grabbed the nearest weapon at his current disposal from one of the mediocre guards and dispatched of them both. It was only when he sent a knife sailing towards Jonathan that he halted his current assault. He watched with complete horror as the knife seemed to collide with an invisible barrier of some sort and sent it flying past him until it landed onto the floor. He averted his gaze onto Clary, a mixture of different emotions coursed through his entire being, because in that moment he realized that he had been led astray. "Clary." He managed to rasp out in a tone softer than he had intended.

Jonathan had been so ready to catch the instrument that had been sailing towards his chest with the pure intention of causing harm to him, but to his pure disbelief that was not how it played out. The pure look of betrayal that was displayed on Jace's face though was quite amusing. But it was Jace's devasted tone that caused Jonathan to elicit a laugh as he put two and two together. He casted a look over to his sister, trying to interpret her current emotions, but was left to see an expressionless reaction, and instead he focused his attention back onto Jace with a smirk idling upon his lips. "I dare say that you happen to be experiencing some sort of betrayal right now. Aren't you?" He noted with slight humor laced near the end of his statement.

Clary could hardly meet Jace's gaze because she knew he must be extremely confused and hurt that she had lied to him. But she forced herself to push her emotions aside because she knew that this was always how the next part was going to go. She would rather sacrifice herself to protect those that she cared deeply for. Her composure nearly faltered when he called her name once again in same hoarse manner. She took a steady breath as she went on to continue playing her role, which meant that it was time for her to kick it up a notch. She skimmed her fingers along Jonathan's arm as she forced a devious simper upon her lips, her gaze never leaving Jace's. "Did you really think that I would betray my brother for you. You mean nothing to me. You've served your purpose and are of no use to me anymore." It hurt her so deeply to see what her words had caused Jace to feel in that moment, but she needed to hurt him, so he wouldn't interfere with her plans. She just hoped that she had not gone too far.

Jonathan spurted a laugh when he was able to witness the look of utter betrayal displaying on Jace's features before he managed to catch a glimpse of sadness that shone in his eyes before Jace managed to cloak his emotions in the next passing moment. Jonathan could only imagine what Jace must have been feeling in that moment since even he at some point had moments where he thought his beloved sister had cut herself entirely from him. He ought to be sympathetic with him, but the desire to prolong Jace's torture was too hard to resist. The fleeting thought is what caused his next actions. His gaze never lifted from his viewing of Jace as he moved until he was behind Clary, brushing her hair aside to allow the bare skin of her neck to be exposed to him before he leaned down to skim his nose along her neck before he began to pepper kisses along her delicate skin.

Clary hadn't expected for Jonathan to be so bold in front of their current company, but she wasn't about to pass up this perfect opening that her brother had so kindly set up for her. She forced herself to tear her gaze from Jace, closing her eyes to make sure she wouldn't see his reaction to what she was about to do. Because she knew that she wouldn't be able to go on with what she was about to do if she had to see him hurting even more than he already was. She leaned back against Jonathan as his lips brushed against her skin, allowing a subtle noise to spill past her lips before she reached behind her to give his hair a gentle tug to grab his attention. It didn't take long for him to halt his actions, but once he did, Clary turned around to face him, bringing her hand up rest against his cheek as she met his burning gaze. "I believe it is time to show him that I truly belong to. Don't you agree, my King?"

Jonathan froze momentarily when he couldn't help but stare down at Clary in utter disbelief in response to her words. But he would be damned if he let the moment that he dreamt so long about to pass by him. In a mere second one of his hands was pressed against her lower back, dragging her flush against him as his other hand moved to rest upon hers as he peered down at her with a hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth. "I thought you would never ask. It is time for us to begin our reign today. And I promise that after every single last drop blood of those that dare to disobey us is shed, I will show you just what you have been missing all of these years."

Clary shivered involuntarily upon hearing the change of his tone upon hearing his final promise, but before she could mask her utter surprise to seeing him almost consumed with desire for her, she had to prepare herself as he tilted her face up as his began to descend down towards hers. Her lids closed as she tried to remain as calm as she could manage. It was finally time to end this. But nothing would prepare her for when their lips did finally meet. It took all her willpower to not push him away, especially when she could hear Jace's reaction. This felt unbelievably wrong, causing her to ignore the bile that threatened to surface at any moment as she forced herself to allow him to part her lips and give him what he craved so badly for so long. Her hand fell from his face during the midst of their kiss and she said a silent prayer that he was far too distracted in this moment to not notice what she was doing. It took her far too long to slowly reach down to grasp the hilt of the sword that had been concealed so discreetly under the multiple layers of clothing she had on. Tears immediately filled her eyes as the moment she dreaded had finally come, making her open her eyes in time to witness Jonathan pull slightly back from her, breaking their kiss as his fingers moved to brush away the traitorous tears that had spilled upon her cheeks. She froze as she thought he had realized what she was doing, but to her utter shock that was not the case at all.

"You're crying…" Jonathan said in a tone far too soft than he had intended to, believing that she had been so overcome with them finally giving into their desires for one another.

Clary shut her eyes for a brief second before she forced herself to look up at him again, her heart aching as tears continued to flow freely along her face. "I am so sorry, Jonathan."

She witnessed the wave of confusion that flashed along his face before a mere look of revelation suddenly appeared in his features, but it was far too late for him to do anything. Within a moment she had broken out of his hold and before she could think too much about what she had to do, she had already raised her sword and brought it home to be sheathed in the depths of his chest. But nothing could've prepared her for what happened next.

Every single one of the runes she had etched onto the sword were now blazing so brightly before the entire sword was growing to be too hot for her to handle. It wasn't until the rune upon the hilt of the sword had scorched the palm of her hand that she whimpered. But nothing could've prepared her when the sword glowed so brightly before she felt the rune that bound her to Jonathan start to hurt so badly until it caused her to cry out in pure agony, falling to her knees before she crumpled entirely onto the floor. She felt as if her whole body had suddenly become aflame until the pain gradually came to a complete halt that she realized that someone was now hovering from above her.

It wasn't just anybody though. It was her Jace. No… He was not hers anymore. Not after what she had done. Tears threatened to spill once again, making her turn her face from him and as she did, she caught a glimpse of someone lying on the ground not far from her. She sucked in a breath when she realized it was Jonathan.

She struggled to get up onto her feet, and just as she was taking her first steps towards Jonathan, she felt fingers clamp down onto her arm, causing her to look back at a pain stricken Jace. "Let go of me! I have to heal him!"

Jace felt his heart constrict when he could see the current state she was in, and it took all his willpower to even speak his next words, because he knew that once he said them aloud that there was no possibility of taking them back. "Clary, he is gone. It is too late to save him. We need to leave before anyone notices what happened to him. Please, come with me now."

Clary shook her head as a sob broke through her chest as she yanked her arm free of his hold. "No, you are wrong. This wasn't supposed to happen like this. Leave if you want to. I am staying here. He needs me."

She didn't bother to wait for his reply as she rushed over to where Jonathan lay, dropping to her knees beside him. But it was then when she was beside him that she knew that Jace had been right. Jonathan was gone. She struggled to pull him up to her, hugging him so tightly against her chest as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. "This wasn't supposed to happen! We promised that if the time came that we both would part this world together! You can't leave me here all alone!"

With each passing second Jace grew more worried. It didn't help when he heard both sounds of voices and footsteps coming closer to where they were. It was that last revelation that broke through to him as he rushed over to Clary, grabbing hold of either side of her arms and began to lift her onto her feet. "We have to go now! Clary, I am so sorry. I truly am, but there was nothing else you could have done. But baby, please let him go. He wouldn't have wanted you to die because of him."

Clary whirled around faster than she could've thought was possible in her current state before she proceeded to shove Jace back a few steps. Her gaze narrowing as anger now filled her in that moment. "Don't you dare speak as if you knew what my brother would have wanted. He deserved a way better upbringing than anyone else. And I will be damned if I let his death be in vain ever again. I am the only one who can bring him back and put a stop to this."

She turned her back on him as she raced across the room and kneeled upon the floor before pressing the palm of her right hand upon the cool tile. Within a moment the tile slid aside to reveal a secret compartment, allowing her to reach down to retrieve the bag she had hidden there earlier. She carefully threw the bag over her shoulder and brushed past Jace to stop in front of a bare wall, proceeding to retrieve her stele before she began to etch out runes upon the bare surface. Sweat began to bead upon her forehead with the amount of energy it was taking her to make sure that every rune had the right amount of power behind them to do her bidding. Within a moment a portal was opened, making her suck in a breath of pure astonishment that it had managed to work.

She didn't waste a second lingering in front of it as she made her way back towards Jonathan, and as she was starting to grab his upper body did she cast a glance over towards Jace. "If you truly ever cared for me then prove it now. Help me bring him to the portal and after we pass through you are free to go as you please. I promise you will never see the both of us ever again."

In the end, Jace didn't really have a choice when the doors of the room finally busted open. He aided her with carrying Jonathan and went through the portal without knowing just what lay on the other side of it.

~~

It had taken Clary longer than she had wanted to finally convince Jace to leave her to tend to his family, but once he was finally gone, did Clary set out to get to work. She went about setting up an alter rather hastily before she began to work on drawing out the runes that were needed in this moment that she had forced herself to memorize over and over just for this occasion before she retrieved the other items she needed from the bag she had brought with her through the portal and headed over towards the shore of Lake Lyn.

Clary withdrew both the mortal sword and cup from the bag, placing the cup onto the sand before she used the tip of the sword to slash a clean line along her upper forearm, letting her blood drip freely into the cup as she began to murmur the words that had come so easily to her lips. After she was sure that both the cup and sword had their fill of her blood, she moved closer towards the water and began to dip the sword into it over and over as her chanting picked up once again. She had to concentrate on staying focused on the current task at hand even though she wanted nothing more than to back away from the water when it had begun to ripple and glow.

Once she had spoken the last words of the summoning spell, Clary went on to throw both the cup and sword into the darkened lake, and not even a mere second had passed when a huge figure began to rise from the water. Her hand automatically flew up to shield her eyes as the figure continued to rise from the water and seemed to illuminate so brightly in the process. It wasn't until she heard the angel speak her name that she dared to glimpse up at him, and as she looked at him, she brought herself into a kneeling position.

"Raziel." Clary greeted the angel as politely as she could manage even though her instincts were telling her that what she had done was completely wrong.

"Why have you summoned me, Nephilim?"

"My lord, Raziel, I have summoned you with the hopes that you would find it in your heart to spare one of your own that has been taken from us too soon."

"It has been so long since I have been summoned, and since then many things have changed. And most of those changes were due to the blood that runs through your veins. Give me one good reason as to why I should not just rid the world of one more Morgenstern?"

Clary nearly went completely still as she shivered involuntarily in response to the vast amount of power that was radiating off him. And it was then after hearing his words that she knew that Raziel had witnessed just what her family had done, but even then, she knew deep down in her heart that she was willing to risk everything if it meant that there was still a chance to save Jonathan. That thought was what gave her the strength to hold her head up high and speak the truth. "You have every right to kill me for what my family has done to our own kind. But I beg that you spare my brother, Jonathan. He had not even come into this world yet before my father and Lilith had corrupted him. Jonathan Fairchild existed deep within Jonathan Morgenstern and never got the chance to ever truly live. I ask that you take my life and bring him back."

"You would truly have me take your life in exchange for bringing another back?"

"Yes." Clary replied with more strength then she thought she could in this moment before she rose up to her feet, closing her eyes as she patiently awaited for the deed to be fulfilled.

"The price that this will take is the returning of abilities that should have never been in your possession. Valentine Morgenstern dared to imprison one of my own to retrieve them, and you have no right to claim them as your own. Are you still willing to give up those enhanced abilities for him and be the same as your fellow Nephilim?"

Clary stilled ever so slightly as she fully comprehended just what he was saying to her. She always knew that some of the things that she was able to do should have been impossible, and over the years she had taken advantage of those abilities and even used them for her own personal gain. The thought of being a normal shadowhunter didn't bother her at all. Because she was willing to give her own life for Jonathan and this matter was meaningless compared to that. Before she had spoken her answer aloud, she suddenly cried out and fell to her knees, holding her head in her hands as she felt as if she were being split into two halves.

It felt like an eternity when the pain finally seemed to cease, and she opened her eyes. She somehow was now resting on her back and had to blink a couple of times for her vision to fully focus and it was then that she realized someone was hovering above her. She was left staring into the most beautiful shade of emerald hues she had ever seen. The same shade that could've only been inherited from one person. Her mother. But that wasn't who was staring down at her with so much concern showing in their features. It was Jonathan. Tears suddenly obscured her vision as a trembling hand reached up to rest against his cheek. "Jonathan… Is it really you?" She managed to croak out as she tried to suppress the sobs that threatened to overcome her at any given moment.

Jonathan gave a subtle nod in answer to her question as the corner of his mouth lifted into a smile, whilst a mixture of tears of both happiness and grief blurred his vision. In that moment nothing else mattered. And without giving much thought to his next actions, he pulled Clary flush against his chest, holding her so tightly as he buried his face against her shoulder. "I can't even begin to explain how truly sorry I am for what I have put you through over these many years. I was in the very depths of darkness for so long, feeling helpless as I watched the other half of myself do such horrendous things… But even through those darkest of times, you were always there. It was only you who was able to give me the strength that I needed to hold on. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I could have held on for so long."

Clary's heart sank when she couldn't help but notice the way his voice wavered near the end. And soon it was useless to hold back her tears. Instead she held onto her dear brother so tightly as if she were worried that if she let go that he would suddenly vanish out of thin air. She didn't know how long they sat there holding one another in silence as they both cried away their sorrows. She pulled back a little way to look up at him, feeling just as caught off guard as before when she finally held his gaze. She was so used to the dark coloring his eyes had been once before, but she had to remind herself that, that wasn't really him. And just as she was about to open her mouth to speak, she suddenly went completely still upon hearing voices nearing the lake.

It took Jonathan a moment to notice what had suddenly caused Clary to tense up, but once he took notice that they were about to have company did he jump straight into action. He brought both himself and Clary up onto their feet and tucked her safely behind him. "Please let me handle this. None of this was your fault. It was all mine. I will go with them willingly, but I don't want you to try to protect me. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you. Do you hear me, Clary?"

Clary stepped out from behind him to stand at his side, reaching down to intertwine their fingers as she too looked towards the crowd of bodies in the short distance that were descending upon them. "We are in this together, whether you like it or not. We are and will always be bound by blood. And no matter what happens next, I will always stay by your side. I truly almost lost you forever and I swear to you that I will never abandon you. Ever."

 ** _A/N: I apologize for the overdue update. Life got a bit hectic out of nowhere. I do hope that this chapter was well worth the wait. As promised there is one last chapter left for this story to come to an end. I want to thank everyone who has left such lovely reviews and have not given up on this story. I promise that the epilogue will be posted very soon!_**


	22. Epilogue

**_A/N: The time has finally come for this story to come to an end. I had some thoughts of maybe doing a short story with a bigger time gap that would just be updates on where my characters are, but I would like to see what my readers think about that. I had an idea for how I wanted this story to be from the very beginning but as time went on I decided to change it up a bit, but the one thing that really stuck with this story was the bond between Clary and Jonathan. When I read the books I really wished that they had a chance to experience a sibling bond. So, it made me really happy to bring that to life in my own way. And as for Clary's love life… I will let you read on to find out... Enjoy!_**

~~

A lot of things had happened within so little time. Jonathan and Clary were taken into custody immediately and questioned separately. To say that the way the Clave had decided to obtain answers out of the them was the worst part of the entire ordeal, would be a flat out lie. Because the worst part of this entire aftermath that had been set into motion had only just begun.

Most of the charges against them had been determined to be orchestrated by their father and Lilith, whom was his accomplice. There had been numerous of trials that had taken place, along with many testimonies that required the use of the Mortal Sword. Clary had no idea how it had been retrieved, but nonetheless she had to hold it in her grasp various times. It got to the point where the pain wasn't as unbearable as it should've been each time it is given to someone.

And though most of the charges had been cleared, both Jonathan and Clary still had to receive some sort of punishment. They hadn't been allowed in the room when their fate was being decided, but to Clary's amusement she had heard from a brief visit with Luke that Jocelyn had sure made quite a scene. Even she knew never to stand in her mother's way when it came to Jocelyn defending a matter that she cared so deeply about. She should have felt a little terrible for those who had to face a mother trying to protect both of her children, but after everything that she and her brother had been through, she didn't have it in her heart to feel terrible.

But she had to admit that she was a little bummed that she couldn't both hear nor see her mother in action in that moment. Especially when it came to hear her defend Jonathan. Clary could remember exactly what played out the day that Jocelyn had come face-to-face with her son. She could see that her mother was so overcome with various emotions as she was finally able to the witness the vision of her baby boy that had finally been manifested into the real world. Though it did go without saying that both Jonathan and Clary were beyond taken aback when Jocelyn had run up to him and embraced him. It took both Luke and one guard to pull her from him when it came time to the siblings being escorted to their first trial.

In the end it was decided that they were to be subjected to a reconditioning period. Those weeks consisted of non-stop monitoring by guards during their entire reconditioning treatment along with those that went out of their way to make their lives a living hell every single day. But even though those weeks had been both physically and mentally challenging, both siblings knew deep down that they deserved an even worse punishment.

During those weeks, Clary had only seen her brother when they were being escorted to different areas for their endless amounts of lecturing amongst other things. She didn't think she was going to be able to make it through that experience all on her own, but of course her brother had managed to make it all better. It all started when she found the first note that had been slid under her bedroom door. Throughout their stay they had made it a game for each other to have to find hidden messages in the areas of the days that they each were subjected to staying in. Until finally it was time for them to be released back into the world.

It wasn't until they were released from their prison-like home that Clary was finally able to witness the beginning of the worst punishment that she would ever encounter in life. That was having to see the faces of those that had suffered from the events that she had been a part of.

She would never forget the amount of sadness that she had witnessed just from the mere glances of those she had come across as Jonathan and she were led to their temporary housing. Clary would always carry that horrid emotion she felt in those few moments with her for as long as she lived. And it was then that she vowed that she would do everything in her power to make up for what she had done in any way that she possibly could.

~~

 **One year later**

It had taken a long while for the Clave to even fathom the idea of leaving both Jonathan and Clary unmonitored even though they hadn't shown even the slightest of chance of them setting back into their old ways. Though it had been decided that if they wore a tracking device when they were given assignments that required them to travel out of bounds that it would be okay to not have to be shadowed by guards.

But of course, it didn't go unnoticed by them that there were always at least one or two guards that had been sent to keep an eye on them during assignments. They didn't mind it one bit since it meant they were able to leave the confines of their childhood home even for a little bit.

After a few months without any incidents were they finally given back their freedom. There were still times that Clary found it rather difficult to leave her home and run essential errands due to those that would never forgive what was done, but of course her worries would vanish as soon as she felt Jonathan's hand grab hold of hers, letting her know that she was not alone. They were in this together as always.

And it did go without saying that Clary kept to the vow she had made. It was her idea to give the Morgenstern manor a complete makeover. Once they were finished with the makeover their childhood home had been almost unrecognizable. Along with the complete makeover came the idea of opening their home up to those who had not the best of an upbringing as them, or to those who needed a place to go. Their new home would serve as a safe haven to those who were misunderstood by those around them, just as they had been ever since they had been brought into this world.

Clary wanted nothing more than for her vision of her family manor to serve as both a home and schooling for fellow Nephilim where they could be their true selves without the worry of ever being judged for who they truly were. But with that dream in mind, Clary knew that it would take time for that vision that was so crystal clear in her mind to come to life. But of course Clary was a very patient hunter. She bid her time for the perfect moment to voice her ideas to the Clave and to her complete surprise, she was not met with much resistance as she had been preparing herself for. Slowly, but surely both Clary and Jonathan had taken the careful steps to put their future plans into motion and played by the rules that had been given to them by the Clave.

And now with the grand unveiling of the manor being almost within their reach, both Jonathan and Clary were more than anxious to be able to pass on what they could to the next generation of Shadowhunters as well as continue to perform their own duties as Nephilim. Just as it should have been if they had been given the chance to have a normal upbringing, but in the end neither sibling would have wanted to change anything that played out because in the end it was how they were brought into each other's lives in the very first place.

Things were slowly but surely coming around for the Morgenstern siblings, yet here now in the present as Clary reminisced about the past year, she felt there was something still missing. With a delicate noise of frustration, she set down the comic she had been trying to read for the past thirty minutes. She had promised Simon that she would catch up on the current volume of their favorite series, so they could talk about it, but her heart hadn't been in it in this moment.

Instead her mind had decided that it wanted to bring up the past, which ended up with her feeling the telltale signs of a migraine approaching. She released a defeated sigh, thinking that she should just head back home before it got too dark and would make Jonathan worry for her wellbeing. Then she of course would end up feeling terrible for making him worry.

It was that last fleeting thought that made her sit up, grabbing her comic as she prepared herself to jump down from the boulder, but at the very last second, she went completely still upon hearing the cracking of a branch. She cursed under her breath when her fingers flew to her waist and it was then that she realized she hadn't grabbed her utility belt off of her nightstand before she had headed out of the house. So, now as her verdant hues skimmed along the edge of the forest she was bending down to grab the sturdiest branch she thought she could use as a weapon, just as she noticed someone stepping out into the opening of the forest.

It wasn't just anyone though. The branch fell from her grasp, landing just beside her foot with a loud thud as her breath suddenly caught in her throat. "J-Jace?"

He had been just as surprised as she had been, because never in a million years did he expect anyone to be out here. Especially not Clary. It took him an embarrassingly long time to even muster up an answer to her, causing him to clear his throat to give him one last moment to compose himself. "Fancy seeing you here, Clary. I didn't expect anyone to be here. I actually should be going now. I don't know why I thought it was a brilliant idea to come here, when I have people waiting on me. It was nice seeing you though."

Clary's heart was pounding so fast in this moment as she was taking in every single inch of his entire being, that it took her a short while to even process what he had said when he suddenly was turning to leave. She didn't even think through her actions as she ran across the clearing until stopping just short of where he was. Her arm automatically reached forward and just as her fingers were going to grasp the sleeve of his shirt, she stopped and let her arm fall back to her side before shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "No, don't leave. This is your special place. I shouldn't even be here. I didn't think it through earlier. I just wanted a quiet place to read. I should be the one going. It was nice seeing you too though. Take care, Jace." She spared him one last glance after seeing him only give a silent nod of his head in answer to her words, and it was then that her emotions got the best of her.

She hadn't seen him since she saw him in passing during the first trial. And she felt stupid for even thinking that there was a chance that he would wait for her. She had hoped all that time to hear some sort of response from him. Even if it was only a meaningless letter to tell her that what they had was over. But of course that didn't happen. She couldn't even feel any sort of resentment towards him because in all honesty she didn't deserve his love. She had once thought that she cared so deeply for him but in the end it turned out that maybe she had been wrong. She should feel lucky that he even had spoken a word to her right now after how she had treated him. It was that last thought that led her to decide to leave things how they currently were.

Clary heard his footsteps as he walked away from where they had both been standing, giving her the chance to brush away the tears that had begun to obscure her vision before they had fallen down her cheeks. She had just taken a few steps into the midst of the countless trees when she heard him call for her. She sucked in a breath as hope began to blossom within her chest, making her clumsily turn back and step back into the clearing. But only then when she looked over at him did she realize why he had called for her. Her face nearly fell with utter sadness setting in, but she quickly squashed all of that down and promised to dwell on those feelings later in the safety of her room.

"You forgot this." Jace murmured softly as he held her booklet in his hand as he made his way over to her. He didn't dare get too close with the fear that he would take her into his arms. Deep down he despised himself for not being able to feel some sort of hate towards her for how she had left him hanging without a word since she had been gone. And he despised himself even more because he knew that she would always hold a place in his heart. That is why he had been so much in a rush to get away from her. But as he stood there, he couldn't happen to notice that her eyes seemed to hold a pinkish hue to them as if she had been in the process of crying. His chest ached right then and there, making him suck in a breath as he forced himself to all but throw the booklet into her awaiting hand.

"Thanks. I would have been in so much trouble if anything happened to this. Goodbye, Jace." She said a little too stiffly as she gently took the comic from his hold, and just as she was in the process of leaving, she couldn't help but let out a soft gasp when his fingers suddenly grasped her arm to stop her dead in her tracks. Her gaze flitted upwards to meet his, but the emotions that mirrored both in his features and gaze left her unable to say anything in that moment.

Jace cleared his throat as his grip loosened on her arm until he let go of her completely. "I don't want this to be how things end between us. I—"

Clary shook her head as she rushed to interrupt him midsentence before she lost her nerve. "I am so sorry, Jace. I know that there is nothing I can say nor do that will ever make up for what I put you through. But I want you to know that I did care about you. I still do. I may not have always shown it as well as I should have, but I want you to know that. I don't expect you to accept my apology or even want to see me after today. After I didn't hear from you after the trial, I figured it was best to just leave you alone for good, but I am happy that we crossed paths today, so we can end things hopefully on a good note." She felt her cheeks flush a pinkish hue in response to her blabbering, feeling rather embarrassed that she had just spoke so fast and couldn't stop herself once she had started speaking, but she really did mean what she had said.

Jace stared at her in disbelief upon hearing one thing that stood out to him during her entire speech, which left him both appalled and slightly agitated. "Let me get this straight… You actually think that I just abandoned you after the trial?"

Clary crossed her arms as her gaze flitted down to the ground, attempting to not fidget so much under his stare. "It's alright, Jace. I understand why you would want to put some distance between us."

Jace couldn't believe what he was hearing right now. He didn't even think too much into his next actions as his fingers went to rest under her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. "I didn't abandon you, Clary. I wrote you countless times and when I never got a response I just finally gave up."

Clary's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing his words as her breath caught in her throat when her emotions threatened to get the best of her. She stepped away from his touch, shaking her head as she blinked tears away. "You should have given up on me. You had every right to. I am no good for anyone." And against all odds she sputtered a laugh as she forced herself to look at him once again. "I actually thought for a moment that I could even suggest that we could be friends, but I can't do that to you. No, I won't. I only end up hurting people. I'm sorry, Jace."

"No. You aren't going to get away from me that easily, Clary." He stated with a slight growl when he could see that she was on the verge of running away at any given moment. He had to stop himself from reaching out and grabbing her and instead he opened and closed his fists a few times as he tried to take in deep breaths to help himself calm down. Once he felt that he was back in control, he spoke his next words a little softer. "No one is perfect. I've done things that I am not proud of as well and hurt people countless times. But I'll be damned if I let you walk out of my life. Even if it means that we can only be friends."

Clary felt her heart constrict ever so slightly when she he gave her the slightest of hope of something still connecting them to one another. And she knew that this was the only chance she would ever get of ever having him in her life, so against her better judgement she was going to grasp onto that little bit of hope for dear life. She knew there was really no guarantee of what would come after this, but for now she was willing to give it a try. It was that final thought that made the corner of her mouth lift into a smile as she wordless extended her hand out towards him. "My name is Clarissa Morgenstern. But my friends know me by, Clary."

"It's nice to meet you, Clary. My name is Jace Herondale." He murmured softly as a slow smile spread across his face as he took her hand into his own, whilst his eyes shone with a slight twinge of amusement in response to playing along with her in this moment as he let himself enjoy this short moment with someone he would always care about.

It was that last innocent act between those two individuals that could spark life into a new beginning, and maybe one day lead into something beautiful.


End file.
